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Nitya Vidyasagar

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Nitya Vidyasagar
Born
Muscat, Oman
CitizenshipUnited States
OccupationActress
Years active2008–present
Known forSesame Street

Nitya Vidyasagar is an American actress best known for her role as "Leela" on Sesame Street.

Early life and education

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Vidyasagar was born in Muscat, Oman to Telugu Indian parents and grew up in Kolkata, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad before moving to the United States in 1995 at the age of 12.[1] She graduated from the St. Andrew's Episcopal School in 2001.[2][3] She received a BFA with honors in drama and a minor in music from New York University.[4]

Career

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Vidyasagar was the first Indian American cast member of Sesame Street.[5] Leela runs a laundromat next to Mr. Hooper's Store. Sesame Street producers were not looking for an Indian American actress before they cast Vidyasagar,[6] but the show's writers plan to use parts of Vidyasagar's background in certain episodes.[4] Leela is described as "a young Indian American who embraces her heritage and culture".[7]

Vidyasagar is primarily a stage actress. She trained at the Stella Adler Studio of Acting.[8] She received praise for her performance in the drama Selling Kabul, in which she plays a central female character anxious for her brother's safety.[9]

Filmography

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Film

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YearTitleRoleNotes
2009Split EndsMehar ManjriFeature film
2010Wall Street: Money Never SleepsSecretary
2017RakshaArchanaShort
2018MammothNityaShort
2019Velvet BuzzsawGita

Television

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YearTitleRoleNotes
2008–2015Sesame StreetLeelaSeries Regular
2010The Good WifeFrida VermaSeason 1 Episode 20: "Mock"
2012SmashJill AbramsSeason 1 Episode 5: "Lets Be Bad"
2015The PlayerMedina RaqibSeason 1 Episode 1: "Pilot"
2016Major CrimesAmalaSeason 5 Episode 1: "Present Tense"
2017Blue BloodsDr. Nadia KhanSeason 8 Episode 9: "Pain Killers"
2017SuitsStephanie PatelRecurring
2018SEAL TeamMeera NelsonSeason 1 Episode 12: "The Upside Down"
2019TroopersUnaRecurring
2019S.W.A.T.Sergeant WilsonSeason 2 Episode 21: "Day of Dread"
2019NCIS: Los AngelesNatashaSeason 11 Episode 10: "Mother"
2022The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the WindowHillaryEpisode 4[10]
2022Station 19Tabitha SalzmanSeason 5 Episode 12: "In My Tree"
2022All RiseZoya Hameed
2025 All's Fair Dr. Samira Ramesh Episode: "I Want Revenge"[11]

Theatre

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YearTitleRoleNotes
Modern Terrorism: Or They Who Want to Kill Us and How We Learn to Love ThemYalda AbbasiSecond Stage Theater[12]
The Glorious OnesArmandaLincoln Center Theater
Serendib[13]AnnaEnsemble Studio Theatre
Cecilia's Last Tea Party[14][15]CeciliaPassage Theatre Company
A Midsummer Night's Dream[16]PuckFlux Theatre Ensemble
NINJA: The MusicalJanineDesipina & Co
Monetizing Emma[17]EmmaPlanet Connections Festival
Coney Island AvenueAnnaNew York Theatre Workshop
2022 Selling Kabul[18] Afiya Ensemble Theatre Company Santa Barbara

References

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  1. ↑ "Meet Leela, Sesame Street's newest cast member". muppetcentral.com. 3 November 2022.
  2. ↑ "VIDYASAGAR '01 SHINES ON THE SCREEN THANKS TO 'SUNNY DAYS'". St. Andrew's Episcopal School - MD. 11 August 2019.
  3. ↑ Siskind, Greg. "IMMIGRANT OF THE DAY: NITYA VIDYASAGAR - ACTRESS". ILW.
  4. 1 2 "India West profile". Archived from the original on 2023-04-29. Retrieved 2010-07-23.
  5. ↑ Choudhury, Uttara (16 July 2016). "A Passage to Hollywood: How Indian Actors are Storming the US Entertainment Industry". The Wire.
  6. ↑ Southern Courier article
  7. ↑ "Sesame Street Season 39 press kit". Archived from the original on 2011-04-11. Retrieved 2010-07-23.
  8. ↑ "Sesame Street bio". Archived from the original on 2011-07-18. Retrieved 2010-07-23.
  9. ↑ Scott, Daisy (10 February 2023). Selling Kabul - A timely story of family & determination. Santa Barbara: VOICE Magazine. p. 21.
  10. ↑ Stinson, Katherine (January 28, 2022). "Where Was The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window Filmed?". Distractify. Retrieved January 29, 2022.
  11. ↑ Reif, Alex (2025-11-05). "TV Recap: All's Fair Episode 3 — Allura Strikes Back". LaughingPlace.com. Retrieved 2025-12-22.
  12. ↑ Isherwood, Charles (18 October 2012). "Funny, but Plotting Havoc Isn't Easy". The New York Times.
  13. ↑ "Serendib | TheaterMania". 2 April 2007.
  14. ↑ Saltzman, Simon. "A Curtain Up - New Jersey Review Cecilia's Last Tea Party".
  15. ↑ Gates, Anita (18 May 2008). "Trenton Tea Party". The New York Times.
  16. ↑ Sommers, Michael (2 July 2011). "A 'Dream' Perfectly Suited for the Outdoors". The New York Times.
  17. ↑ "免费女人18毛片A级毛片视频,男人添女人下面过程,亚洲综合图色40p,少妇高潮太爽了在线观看图片". Archived from the original on 2016-10-25. Retrieved 2011-02-23.
  18. ↑ Diamond, Robert. "Photos: First Look At The Cast of SELLING KABUL At Ensemble Theatre Company". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 2023-03-18.
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