Biography for
Archie Panjabi More at IMDbPro »

Date of Birth

31 May 1972, Edgware, Middlesex, England, UK

Birth Name

Archana Panjabi

Mini Biography

Archie made her film debut in the British hit East Is East (1999). Since then, she has continued to work on international blockbuster films, from Bend It Like Beckham (2002) and The Constant Gardener (2005) to critically acclaimed films like A Mighty Heart (2007) (starring opposite Angelina Jolie) and Yasmin (2004) (written by Simon Beaufoy).

Archie won Best Actress for her role in Yasmin (2004) at the Reims Festival in 2006 and was awarded the Shooting Star Award at the Berlin International Film Festival 2005. The award is given to actors who are seen as "the most exciting and emerging actors from across Europe" (European Film Promotion). Previous winners include Daniel Craig and Marion Cotillard. She was selected from hundreds of actors to represent the UK.

She has a great ear for accents. From Scottish to Indian to American, all of her major film & TV roles have been in accents other than her own.

Archie always knew she wanted to become an actress. It was only when Nick Berry from "EastEnders" (1985) replied to a letter did she find an agent and roles. Her first casting call was for "EastEnders" (1985), the role of Ricky Butcher's girlfriend. She was called but didn't end up getting the part. She graduated from Brunel University, England, with a degree in Management Studies (BSc). She graduated with a 2:1.

Ridley Scott is a big fan of hers.

IMDb Mini Biography By: D Youngman

Spouse

?	(? - present)

Trivia

She spent part of her childhood in Mumbai (Bombay), which is why she considers herself "Part Bombayite, part British". In fact she based the character Gemma/Jessminder in Ridley Scott's A Good Year (2006) on someone she knew in Mumbai.

Awarded Shooting Star Award at the Berlin International Film Festival 2005 for Yasmin (2004). She was selected from hundreds of actors to represent the UK.

Won Best Actress for her role in Yasmin (2004) at the Reims Festival in 2006.

For her role on "The Good Wife" (2009), she was named one of the "Eight Actors Who Turn Television into Art", in the cover story of The New York Times Magazine (9/11/11). Also named as one of the Top 10 Faces on TV to Watch. (Variety, 2009).

Both of her parents were schoolteachers.