Freida Pinto (born October 18, 1984) is an Indian actress born in Mumbai, Maharashtra.
Mumbai based Freida Pinto is one of the few Indian models to start her film career with a Hollywood film. She starred in her debut film Slumdog Millionaire.
She is the daughter of Sylvia, a principal of St. John’s High School, and Frederick Pinto, a senior branch manager at the Bank of Baroda.Her parents hail from the coastal city of Mangalore in the state of Karnataka. She recognizes herself as a Mangalorean Catholic. Her older sister Sharon Pinto is an associate producer on the NDTV news channel.
Pinto graduated from St. Xavier's College, Mumbai. She modeled for two years before meeting Danny Boyle and being cast in Slumdog Millionaire.
At the Toronto International Film Festival the movie won the Cadillac People's Choice Award.Freida Pinto traversed the modeling circuit in Mumbai [represented by Elite Model Management India] for two years before gaining her big break when director Danny Boyle picked her out in the audition process to play the female lead, Latika, for his latest project, Slumdog Millionaire. In a promo interview, Boyle likened spotting her to his discovery of Kelly McDonald for Trainspotting.
Between 2006-07, she anchored 'Full Circle', a travel show which was telecast on Zee International Asia Pacific. She went on assignments to Afghanistan, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, and Fiji among other countries.
Freida is trained in some forms of Indian classical dance as well as Salsa.
"This industry is for fighters and those who do not give up! It is very important to believe in yourself. Even when a hundred people rejected me, I did not lose hope and finally one of the biggest directors of all times [Danny Boyle]believed in me! Also working in this film Slumdog Millionaire has taught me a lot, not just in terms of acting but also about myself, which is an integral part of being a good actor!"
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