Maitreyi Ramakrishnan's journey to stardom began on April 11, 2019, when writer Mindy Kaling posted an announcement on Instagram that she was hosting open casting calls for her upcoming series. Among the roles being cast was an American girl of South-Asian descent, of approximately 15 to 18 years of age.
One of the many who saw that post was Ramakrishnan's best friend, who forwarded it to her and asked her to come record a video audition. "I'm lying on my couch, ready to take a nice afternoon nap. ... I remember feeling exhausted, but I was like, 'Okay, let's do it,' just because I honestly only wanted to hang out with my best friend," Ramakrishnan told Variety. Of course, noted Refinery29, Ramakrishnan wasn't a complete neophyte when it came to acting. An aspiring thespian, she'd starred in a few high school musicals and intended to study drama at Toronto's York University after graduating. However, she had yet to act professionally.
After she submitted her tape, casting directors liked what they saw and asked Ramakrishnan to send another... and another. After sending six recorded auditions, Ramakrishan told Deadline, she was invited to Los Angeles for a screen test. "At that point I was like, 'Whoa, wait. Hold on. I've never even been to L.A. before. Hold on,'" she recalled, noting that she was one of more than 15,000 to audition for the role.
