Exclusive: Maitreyi Ramakrishnan on "Never Have I Ever" Season 2 and Keeping Busy in Quarantine
It's almost strange to think that there was a time before Maitreyi Ramakrishnan graced our TV screens and made us fall in love with her humor and performance as Devi in Never Have I Ever. The Canadian teen not only beat out over 15,000 candidates for the role, but she also managed to have over 40 million people around the world become obsessed with her and the show. But just as her life was being transformed by the breakout hit, the COVID-19 pandemic stopped everything. While quarantining at home, Maitreyi is going back to her roots and looking back at her newfound success, while also trying to keep up with her friends in this strange new world.
Seventeen got the chance to talk to Maitreyi about how much her life has changed over the last few months, what we can expect in season two of Never Have I Ever, her love for Avatar: The Last Airbender and Animal Crossing.
17: Your routine has certainly changed over the past few months, especially after the release of Never Have I Ever.
MR: There a lot of change happening. It's crazy how how my life sort of hasn't stopped for a moment. Just before the world went crazy with locking down, we had a junket and that was a whole new experience for me. Now we're in quarantine and I'm adjusting to this new normal that I have to go through including working from home. It's pretty nifty, but I'm still adjusting and just making sure I go with the flow.
17: The show has already been renewed for season two, which I'm sure you're itching to get started working on.
MR: I know for a fact that the Never Have I Ever production crew wants to make sure that we take all the time that we need before we just rush into filming. We want to make sure everybody's safe, not just the cast.
17: What was your reaction to finding out about the renewal?
MR: I was the last person in the cast to find out. Mindy sent an email to the whole cast, but I was the last person to wake up and actually see it. I woke up to 10 missed calls from Jaren [Lewison], who was apparently trying to wake me up. Why would I keep my phone on? Why would he think I keep my ringer on while I'm sleeping? How good is that? [Laughs] How effective is it calling that many times? Honestly, I didn't even feel bad for missing these calls. But I was super excited because we get to see what happens to these characters. We have 10 new episodes coming to you at some point. We'll see them go through more journeys and challenges. I don't know what's going to happen and I'm excited. I'm on the same boat as the fans.
17: What are you most excited to see in the new season?
MR: I'm very excited to see more costumes. Our costume designer does an amazing job. I'm so excited to see what costumes he turns out for the rest of the cast. Plot wise, I can't wait to see how these kids go about what I assume will be their next year in high school. I don't know if it's gonna pick up right where we left off or not. Either way, I hope to see Devi make it up to her friends properly, learn some lessons, make sure she actually does the right thing.
17: So many people have connected with the show. How has it been hearing from them on social media?
MR: I knew a lot of people would, because it is a very relatable show. Whether you connect with Devi or another character or just the plot. But when I try to think about the idea that there's 40 million people out there who watched it, that is wild. Forty million ants are not that much. But when you think about 40 million people?! That's a lot!
17: With all this downtime, have you picked up any new hobbies that we might be surprised to hear about?
MR: Before quarantine, I got a violin on my birthday. I was supposed to take lessons, but obviously can't do that. So I decided to go on YouTube and figured out what I can do by myself. Not gonna lie, it's pretty difficult. I've also been sharpening my other skills like my piano playing, singing, and of course, the most important skill of all, video games.
17: Have you learned anything about yourself while in quarantine?
MR: I always knew I was an extrovert, but I didn't realize how much of an extrovert I am. I don't like just being by myself. I like getting up, bothering someone by saying something random and, them saying something back. I need that social interaction. I regret all the times I may have flaked on somebody for their plans, but here we are now.
17: How have you been keeping up with your friends in quarantine?
MR: I've been doing a lot of FaceTiming and texting and sending good memes to the group chats. I sometimes try to get out to do some socially distance meet up in backyards or just out in the front driveways. For the most part, I try to stay safe because I don't want to get sick myself. Most importantly, I don't want to pass it on to the people around me.
A post shared by Maitreyi Ramakrishnan (@maitreyiramakrishnan) on Aug 7, 2020 at 9:37am PDT
17: With Never Have I Ever, your social media presence has grown significantly. Do you feel pressure on how you use it?
MR: I always make sure I'm being responsible with my social media with the climate of the world and everything that's going on. There's a lot to speak up and spread awareness about. I always make sure to educate my mind first before I take it public. I get all the facts so I can answer any questions if asked. I do have a platform and there is that sense of responsibility to make sure that I spread awareness, but it's definitely not a burden, especially when it's the right thing to do.
17: You mentioned your love for video games and, like many of us, you're playing Animal Crossing. How has it been playing the game in quarantine?
MR: I enjoy being able to decorate and make it exactly like how I want it. I have to share my Animal Crossing island with my mom and my brother, so it's more of a dictatorship kind of island. What I say goes. I like to hang out with my friends on there. It's always really nifty getting a random gift from them. I appreciate it. It's a relaxing game, which I think adds to the fun. It's all about doing what you want with the game.
17: You've also been tweeting about your love of Avatar: The Last Airbender. Since the live-action reboot will be on Netflix, do you want to be a part of it?
MR: Definitely if I got the chance to do like a little quick cameo. As long as it's like a good role that actually suits me. There's been a lot of buzz about making sure that, for example, Katara is indigenous. That realistic casting needs to happen, especially when there are so few parts for indigenous folks. I think it's important to make sure that the casting is right. Honestly, I'm totally down to be like a cabbage farmer. If I need to just sell some cabbages at Ba Sing Se, I don't mind. It is what it is. That's cool with me too. I don't need to be like a big role. I just want to be a part of it.
17: Talk to us about your partnership with Tazo and having do a routine reboot during quarantine.
Maitreyi Ramakrishnan: I love their teas. There's a nice little twist to it that's secret, but gives it a new kick. They like to keep it nice and bold which I also really resonate with. I feel like "Routine Reboot" is so relatable right now, especially with quarantine. I'm also trying to figure that out as well. It's a really good partnership to have when we're all in this time of figuring out what works for us.
A post shared by Maitreyi Ramakrishnan (@maitreyiramakrishnan) on Aug 13, 2020 at 9:03am PDT
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