Poorna Jagannathan (born December 22, 1972, in Tunis, Tunisia) is an Indian-American actress and producer celebrated for her roles as Safar Khan in HBO's The Night Of and Nalini Vishwakumar in Netflix's Never Have I Ever. Raised across India, Pakistan, Ireland, Brazil, and Argentina, she speaks five languages and spent 15 years in advertising before fully committing to acting in 2016. She co-conceived, produced, and starred in the play Nirbhaya, which was hailed as a powerful piece of human rights theatre and a pivotal moment in India's women's empowerment movement. Her dramatic work earned critical acclaim, including a standout performance in the 2011 film Delhi Belly and a "quietly devastating" turn in The Night Of, while her comedic portrayal in Never Have I Ever brought her the most widespread attention. She has also appeared in Big Little Lies, Better Call Saul, and Ramy, and starred in the A24 film Share, which premiered at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival. Recognized for her impact, she was named among Goldhouse's "Top 100 Most Impactful Asians" in 2021, 2022, and 2025, featured in People's 2024 "Beautiful Issue," and listed among Verve's top 50 most powerful women in India in 2014.