Janina Gavankar

Infobox actor
name = Janina Gavankar


caption = Janina Gavankar
birthdate = Birth date and age|1980|11|29|mf=y
location = flagicon|USA Joliet, Illinois, U.S.A.
birthname = Janina Zione Gavankar
height = 5' 7"
notable role = Papi ("The L Word"), Ms. Dewey

Janina Zione Gavankar (born November 29, 1980 in Joliet, Illinois) is an American actress and musician of mixed Indian and Dutch descent. Gavankar is also trained as a pianist, vocalist, and orchestral percussionist.cite news | first=Bernie | last=Nguyen | coauthors= | title=Ask Janina | date= 2006-11-06 | url =http://niralimagazine.com/2006/11/ask-janina/ | work =Nirali Magazine | pages =Arts | accessdate = 2007-01-28] She majored in Theatre Performance at the University of Illinois at Chicago.] cite news | first=Shauna | last=Swartz | title=Interview With The L Word's Janina Gavankar | date=January 4, 2007 | publisher=Viacom International Inc. | url=http://www.afterellen.com/node/4478 | work =Afterellen.com | accessdate = 2007-05-21] [cite web | url = http://www.uiaa.org/chicago/uicalumni/ctxt0405e.html | title = Recent Grads Find Success | accessdate = 2006-11-10 | year = 2004 | month = September/October | work = UIC Alumni]

Gavankar was born to parents Pete and Mohra Gavankar. Her maternal grandmother was Dutch, and her mother, Mohra, is Indian-Dutch.fact|date=June 2008

Musically, she used to be in Endera, a group signed to Universal Records. [ [http://www.janinagavankar.com/main/about Janina Gavankar ] ] She also collaborated on a project for a song called "Tell Me What" in India with Pratichee Mohapatra of Viva, Deep, and Navraaz. She also has had songs licensed to movies and television, and has played marimba on film scores.

Gavankar's most notable roles are that of Papi, a promiscuous lesbian in "The L Word", and Ms. Dewey, the personification of a Microsoft branded search engine who comments about the user's searches. Gavankar has appeared in theatre, commercials, short films, independent films, as well as "Barbershop" and its sequel, "".Gavankar was featured in the San Francisco band Recliner's music video for their single "Float Away" [http://sausagefilms.com/float.html Recliner's "Float Away" ] ] , as well as the music video for Manu Narayan's band Darunam [http://www.livevideo.com/video/F7ADB5C281AD4576802B933B4C5EBEA6/all-that-s-beautiful-must-die.aspx Darunam's "All That's Beautiful Must Die" ] ] .

Gavankar has appeared on Epileptic Gaming's Up All Night, where she helped review Rock Band (video game) and Burnout Paradise, and Army of Two. [ [http://wire.ggl.com/category/video/shows/up-all-night/ Epileptic Gaming's "Up All Night" ] ] In 2008, Gavankar was nominated for an Asian Excellence Award. [ [http://www.asianexcellenceawards.com/Nominees/2008 Asian Excellence Awards Nominee List ] ]

It has been confirmed that the actress will return to Showtime's hit series "The L Word". [http://josephmallozzi.wordpress.com/2008/07/06/july-6-2008-actress-janina-gavankar-swings-by/ Interview on Joseph Mallozzi's Blog ] ] It has yet to be confirmed however if her character will be reoccurring for season six, or for only a couple episodes.

Gavankar is also rumoured to be joining the cast of Grey's Anatomy for the upcoming fifth season. [http://ausiellofiles.ew.com/2008/09/janina-gavankar.html]

As of 2004, she is in a relationship with DeviantArt CEO Angelo Sotira. [Kirkpatrick, David (Dec. 11, 2006). "Rich Geeks in Paradise", pp. 26–28. "Fortune".]

Filmography

References

External links

* [http://www.janinagavankar.com Official website]
*imdb name|id=1232470|name=Janina Gavankar
* [http://specials.rediff.com/movies/2007/sep/07sld1.htm Her rediff interview on September 7th 2007]