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Roopashree (Roopa) Jeevaji is an actress and writer who has recently appeared in NCIS (2003) and 9-1-1 (2018). Her screenplay "In the Face of Courage" was a Semi-finalist at "The Writers Lab - 2019," supported by Meryl Streep and Nicole Kidman. She was also a Quarter-finalist at the Academy Nicholl Fellowship in 2021.
Born in India, Jeevaji began her involvement with acting early. She started training in Bharatanatyam, a classical South Indian dance, performing on stage at age six and completing her 'Arangetram' (graduation concert) shortly after. Her acting career launched with a national commercial for Bru Coffee, India's largest instant coffee brand, which led to other national TV roles.
Raised in Bangalore, South India, in a family valuing education, Jeevaji excelled academically and is fluent in six Indian languages. She was the youngest participant selected nationally for the international quiz competition "Exploration to Mars," organized by renowned astrophysicist Carl Sagan.
After relocating to the US, Jeevaji studied Theatre Arts at Temple University, Pennsylvania, and continued at the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute in Los Angeles, where she earned a scholarship. In 2012, she performed at the CBS Diversity Showcase, chosen as one of the top twenty-two actors from thousands of auditions. She also participated in the Producers Mentoring Program at Women in Film.
In 2015, Jeevaji won the Best Actress Award at the California Women's Film Festival and received the Best Actress/Honorable Mention Award at the Asians on Film Festival for her lead role in the film In Search of America, Inshallah (2014), which she also produced.
Philanthropically, Jeevaji serves on the Board of Advisors for Women's Voices Now (WVN) and Girls' Voices Now. WVN is a nonprofit advocating women's rights through film to influence society, while Girls' Voices Now, WVN's youth development program, showcases films amplifying the voices of young women from underrepresented communities.
Girls' Voices Now won the Daytime Emmy Award in 2021 for Outstanding Short Form Children's Program.
