Anya Chalotra

Anya Chalotra
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Name:
Anya Chalotra
Who is:
Birth date:
(28 y.o.)
Place of birth:
Wolverhampton, England, United Kingdom
Height:
5'6 ft ()
Weight:
121 lb (55 kg)
Relationship:
single
Birth Sign:
(characteristic)
Chinese zodiac:
Links:

Photos: Anya Chalotra

Anya Chalotra photo 1
Anya Chalotra photo 2
Anya Chalotra photo 3
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+12 Photos

Biography of Anya Chalotra

Anya Chalotra is a British actress who shot to fame playing the powerful sorceress Yennefer in Netflix's hit series "The Witcher". She's also made her mark in "Wanderlust" (2018) and "The ABC Murders" (2018).
Anya Chalotra
Anya Chalotra

Childhood and Youth

Anya Chalotra was born in 1996 in the English city of Wolverhampton. Her father, Madan, is of Indian descent, and her mother, April, is British. Anya is an ancient Sanskrit name meaning "inexhaustible," "other," or "strange." The name appears frequently in Hindu mythology and folklore. Like her family, the actress follows Hindu beliefs and practices.

Anya spent her childhood in a small town in South Staffordshire. Chalotra took her first steps toward her future career in London, where she attended the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.
Anya Chalotra as a child
Anya Chalotra as a child
At school, Anya was a natural star—no theatrical production was complete without her. Her classmates and family never doubted she'd become an actress.
Anya Chalotra in her youth
Anya Chalotra in her youth
After finishing school, Chalotra honed her craft at the prestigious London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA).

Acting Career

Anya Chalotra began her acting career on the London stage. She appeared in productions including "Great Expectations" based on Charles Dickens' novel, Arthur Miller's "A View from the Bridge," Shakespeare's "The Merchant of Venice," and several other works.
Anya Chalotra at the dawn of her acting career
Anya Chalotra at the dawn of her acting career
Critics were particularly impressed by her powerful performance in "The Village," where she portrayed a determined young Indian woman who inspires a group of women to challenge authority. "The Guardian" praised Anya's performance as "convincing" - high praise indeed for an emerging actress!
Anya Chalotra as Jyoti in The Village
Anya Chalotra as Jyoti in The Village
In 2018, she landed her first TV role in the drama series "Wanderlust." The series follows married couple Joy (Toni Collette) and Alan (Steven Mackintosh), who find themselves drawn to other people while struggling to save their relationship. The series premiered on BBC One in September 2018.
Anya Chalotra in the series 'Wanderlust'
Anya Chalotra in the series 'Wanderlust'
That same year, Chalotra appeared in the mini-series "The ABC Murders". This three-part mystery follows legendary retired detective Hercule Poirot as he's haunted by cryptic letters signed "ABC" from an unknown killer. The role of the detective was played by the renowned John Malkovich, with "Harry Potter" stars Rupert Grint and Shirley Henderson also appearing in the film.
Anya Chalotra in the movie 'The ABC Murders'
Anya Chalotra in the movie 'The ABC Murders'
In 2019, Anya ventured into voice acting for the first time. She voiced the lead character in the animated series "Sherwood," a futuristic reimagining of the classic "Robin Hood" tale. This 10-episode British animated series is set in the distant future of the 23rd century.
In 2019, Anya Chalotra voiced Robin Loxley from the animated series 'Sherwood'
In 2019, Anya Chalotra voiced Robin Loxley from the animated series 'Sherwood'
Anya's character, the teenage hacker Robin Loxley from Sherwood, teams up with a group of renegades to fight against the mad Sheriff of Nottingham on the vastly changed streets of London.

The Witcher

Anya Chalotra gained fame after appearing in the Netflix series "The Witcher." The series is based on a book series by the famous Polish writer Andrzej Sapkowski. The author's novels gained widespread popularity in 2007 when video game developers released an action RPG based on his works.
On the set of 'The Witcher'
On the set of 'The Witcher'
The plot of the fantasy saga revolves around the witcher and monster hunter Geralt (Henry Cavill), young princess Ciri (Freya Allan), and sorceress Yennefer (Anya Chalotra). The powerful sorceress and close friend of Geralt, Triss Merigold, will be played by Anna Shaffer, well known to the audience from her role as Romilda Vane in the Harry Potter films.
Yennefer in 'The Witcher' game and performed by Anya Chalotra
Yennefer in 'The Witcher' game and performed by Anya Chalotra
Video game fans were excited about "The Witcher" adaptation. However, many were disappointed with the casting choices. According to fans, Anya was too young to play Yennefer - the 14-year age gap between her and Henry Cavill (whose characters share a romantic storyline) seemed inappropriate.
Anya Chalotra on Her Journey Playing Yennefer
Viewers envisioned the role of the sorceress Yennefer played by Eva Green, Cobie Smulders, Megan Fox, Liv Tyler, Evangeline Lilly, and other seductive and experienced brunettes. A petition demanding Chalotra be replaced as Yennefer was even created on Change.org. However, series creator Lauren Schmidt's decision wasn't up for discussion. In an interview, she explained:
Anya and Freya best embodied the spirit of the characters during auditions. That's all.

Personal Life of Anya Chalotra

In her youth, Anya Chalotra dated Honduran writer and journalist Juan F. Sanchez, but the relationship did not work out. In 2019, the actress began dating British actor Josh Dylan.
Anya Chalotra and Josh Dylan
Anya Chalotra and Josh Dylan
In her free time, the actress enjoys reading, shopping, and traveling. Chalotra's favourite holiday destination is Miami.

Anya Chalotra Now

In 2021, Anya Chalotra took on the Royal Stratford Theatre's production of "Maryland" while filming the second season of "The Witcher". The premiere took place on December 19, 2021, on Netflix. In March 2022, the actress began filming for the third season of "The Witcher", which was released in the summer of 2023.
A shot from the third season of 'The Witcher'
A shot from the third season of 'The Witcher'
By then, fans already knew that Henry Cavill had left the project and Liam Hemsworth would take over as Geralt in the fourth season. However, Yennefer remained the same. "There's still so much that Yennefer hasn't experienced. I'll find out where she goes next, how she'll decide to escape problems or dive into them," Anya admitted. The actress was surprised by Cavill's decision, especially given his passion for the franchise, but she was excited to work with a new partner and immediately reached out to discuss their characters' development.

In an interview with Variety timed around the third season's release, Chalotra also discussed her character's vision and how Yennefer influenced her own personality:
Yennefer has taught me a lot. She goes through this massive transformation and changes her appearance to feel more powerful, but she realizes her inner insecurity is still there. Relationships are what actually help her grow the way she wants and make her feel stronger. That's what I learned from her. I mean, I've been playing this role for five years. During those formative years, I went through this too, especially since so much of my life is online and I'm constantly looking at myself.
In addition, the actress lent her voice to Jennifer in the anime "The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep" by Netflix, which began production in November 2023.
  • Damn, well, it`s worth a lot to play a young actress in The Witcher itself :) She`s great
    2021-04-27 09:55:23
  • Nice couple - Anya Chalotra and her boyfriend Juan Sanchez!
    2021-04-02 15:53:47
  • It is too early to judge the talent of the girl Anya... For me, she has not yet revealed herself so well.
    2021-03-26 23:36:16
  • I love the TV series with Chalotra «Wanderlust», fascinating
    2021-03-18 08:25:44
  • What big expressive eyes the actress Anya Chalotra has! A lovely sight...
    2021-03-12 10:31:49
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