Since joining the industry in 2017, rising actor Anirduh Pisharody has secured credits from SEAL Team, The Goldbergs, Last Man Standing, and a recurring role on the hit FOX drama 9-1-1. Pisharody shows no signs of slowing down as he’s landed a role as Nirdesh (Des) on Season 3 of Netflix’s hilarious coming-of-age teen-drama: Never Have I ever.
Being a South Asian actor in Hollywood, what have been your biggest challenges? How do you find yourself overcoming these challenges?
Anirudh Pisharody: Of course one of the main challenges being any person of color, in this industry, is trying to avoid being typecast as stereotypical roles which hinder cultural attitudes for future generations. Adding on to that, sometimes as a person of color, you get that horrible feeling of imposter syndrome, or the rep sweats, and you start feeling like you need to go the extra mile just to stay above water. While the reality probably wasn’t far from the fear a couple years ago, the industry is changing, and for the better. Unfortunately an actor doesn’t have as much control regarding what jobs they book, but through shows like Never Have I Ever, the attitudes and mindsets are changing in a direction where our cultures and stories are getting deeper and deeper. It’s not just the same old ‘one note’. And for the imposter syndrome, I’ve found that when I bring my most authentic self to each and every role, and really embody it, the work speaks for itself, and your sense of “belonging” always shines through.
Seeing more POC leads such as Ms. Marvel, Bridgerton and your latest show Never Have I Ever, there seems to be a flux of South Asian lead shows as of recent—giving the characters more depth. How do you feel to be in this new wave of characters?
AP: It’s one thing to have a line or two here and there, but to have entire seasons that resonate with massive audiences?? That get’s me PUMPED! My peers and I have been presented with not only the opportunity, but the platform, to showcase our cultures and our talents. The feedback from fans and my colleagues has blown me away and becoming a part of this cultural zeitgeist really does something that makes you feel connected like never before. It feels very validating, and I hope this wave continues on for years to come, so more and more stories from minority and marginalized communities can make their way to the screen.
I’m sure younger kids in the middle school-high school demographic will be tuning in to Never Have I Ever on Netflix. How do you feel that there will be teenagers out there watching the screen and seeing a character that looks like them? Is this something that you had much exposure to growing up?
AP: Honestly, this whole experience is surreal! Growing up, I really didn’t see all that many South Asian characters in non-traditional leading roles, and I’m sure that feeds into a child’s psyche where they don’t believe that they could ever have a career in film and television. I know for a fact that definitely affected me! While I strongly believe that everything happens for a reason, you know the impact that seeing more and more not only South Asians, but people of color on screen, would have on kids looking to get into the industry. Funny enough, while I didn’t have a whole lot of exposure, there was one guy on a little show called Heroes (NBC) who had a huge impact. That guy, was Sendhil Ramamurthy. He played, what I believe, is the first South Asian superhero on an American television screen, and his super power wasn’t something that painted him as nerdy or dorky, but it was super strength! Dude was ripping doors of cars, punching through walls, the works! Come full circle, he now plays Devi’s dad in Never Have I Ever, and man what a thrill to get to meet him. It was one of those pinch me moments, and really puts a smile on my face.
Being fairly new in this industry, you seem to be picking up speed quite a bit with some big name credits under your belt—what’s a big goal you’d like to achieve next in acting?
AP: Oooof, well I gotta say, I would LOVE to play a superhero. Currently manifesting it in through this interview, twitter, my journal, spam emailing Marvel, etc.
I’ve had just an absolute amazing past couple of years and I’m just extremely grateful to not only be working regularly, but to have the opportunity to work with people I’ve looked up to and admire and just keep learning and navigating my way through this maze of an industry.
Let’s shift more towards your shows now. With 9-1-1, we all love Probie and hope to see more of him! Can you tell us anything about where we’ll see Ravi’s character go in Season 6 of 9-1-1? Any promotion sometime soon?
AP: The fan response to Ravi is so great, and I’m so grateful to them, and to all the writer’s and producers for continuously making him a part of The 118. Unfortunately I don’t think I can say anything for sure, but fingers crossed you’ll see him later in the season. I think an exploration of Ravi’s backstory would be awesome; we already got a little glimpse of that in the first half of Season 5.
Your latest credit is now on Netflix—what can you reveal about your character Nirdesh (Des) in Never Have I Ever? Can we expect any love triangles?
AP: Ooooooh, I don’t know how much I can say without giving anything away but, the trailer is out and I am “NOT a dork” haha!
Aside from the fact that Ravi is a literal firefighter and Des is a high school student, how different are the personalities between the two characters?
AP: Oh, the difference I would say is night and day. Ravi is constantly questioning himself, and still has that eager to please mindset, while Des is, for all intents and purposes, pretty dang confident. Des doesn’t sweat it at all and he’s just smooth sailing, while Ravi is probably worried that he left the oven on in his house. But, I will say that the beauty of both characters is that when push comes to shove they do have that vulnerable side (for Des), and that stoic side (for Ravi). Again, credit to the writers of both shows for creating layers to the characters that give you a really human character.
How much of yourself do you put into the characters you play?
AP: I think a good bit of myself. I’m naturally a pretty kind and earnest guy and I feel like that really comes out in a lot of the characters I end up portraying. Again, I think bringing that authenticity of yourself is so so so important to really make your work that much more impressionable. I will say, in another project I’m playing a pretty bad dude, and it’s been a lot of fun! Maybe too much fun….I hope this doesn’t say anything about the real me..
If there is one thing you’d tell your younger self about this acting journey you’re on—what would it be?
AP: That there are going to be high’s and low’s. It’s never going to be the top of the hill all the time, so please take a breath. Do something new, enjoy the moment. It’s going to be that uphill climb, and that downhill fall that will make you, you. In turn, it will inform every job you do and make you a better actor, and if you’re paying attention, a better human being.
Season 3 of Never Have I Ever is streaming now exclusively on Netflix now, and Season 5
