Childhood & Early Life
Acharia was born on July 31, 1987, in Kathmandu, Nepal, to a Nepalese gynecologist father and a Ukrainian architect mother. Her parents had met while attending medical school in Kiev.
Acharia later moved to Ukraine. Soon, the whole family moved to England, as her father had got a job there. At 13, she and her family shifted to Norway.
She graduated high school in Norway and then moved back to England to pursue a career in acting. Acharia was trained in acting at the 'Academy of Live and Recorded Arts' and graduated from the institute in 2009.
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Career
Acharia made her acting debut in 2010, with a single-episode appearance as 'Neela Sarin' in the ‘BBC’ medical drama 'Casualty.' The same year, she appeared in the 'New Diorama Theatre' production of 'Elevator' and was featured in the short films 'In Company of Wolves' (as 'Rita') and 'Collectables.'
The following year, she and Matt Green appeared as ‘Bride’ and ‘Groom,’ respectively, in the TV Christmas movie 'Lapland.' She played 'Saskia Tremlett' in the ‘BBC’ medical drama 'Doctors' and made a brief appearance in the Belgian–Dutch feature 'The Devil's Double.'
Acharia rose to prominence with the character 'Irri,' a Dothraki handmaiden of 'Daenerys Targaryen,' in the first two seasons of the ‘HBO’ fantasy drama 'Game of Thrones' (GOT). Her character died in the second season.
The character was apparently strangled by her fellow handmaiden 'Doreah (played by Roxanne McKee). While shooting the sequence, Acharia sustained severe bruises on her neck. Unfortunately, the scene was later removed from the final cut. It disappointed her fans, as they wanted to see more of the character. Also, in the book that ‘GOT’ was based on, 'Irri' did not die and eventually had an affair with a woman.
Back then, the reason for her exit from ‘GOT’ was reported to be her visa issue. Apparently, Acharia had not been able to obtain Norwegian citizenship and thus had been unable to extend her work visa. However, she rejected the claim, and through an ‘AMA’ thread on 'Reddit,' she mentioned that it was channel and creators' decision. Acharia also mentioned that she did have her ‘EU’ work visa. Acharia had even learned the Dothraki language for playing ‘Irri.’
Acharia received widespread acclaim for her performance in the 'Academy Award'-nominated (in the “Best Foreign Film” category) Norwegian drama feature film 'I Am Yours.' She was also nominated for the “Best Actress” award at the Norwegian 'Amanda Awards.' Written and directed by Norwegian–Pakistani filmmaker Iram Haq, the film featured her as 'Mina,' a divorcee and a single mother caught between two cultures.
The character demanded a lot of intimate scenes, as Acharia portrayed a lonely and vulnerable woman invariably falling for unsuitable men. 'Variety' magazine praised the sexually graphic autobiographical drama and called her performance "raw and perfect."
Acharia appeared as 'Reidun' in the 2014 comedy–horror film 'Dead Snow: Red vs. Dead.' She then made appearances in the short 'Camouflage' (as 'Amira') and the 2015 British comedy–drama film 'Amar Akbar & Tony' (as 'Richa’). She also had the uncredited role of 'Abby' in the web series 'Pen & Paper & Laser Guns.'
She performed as 'Icka' in the 'Unicorn Theatre' production of 'At the End Of Everything Else' and also played the title role in the 'Gate Theatre' production of 'The Chronicles of Kalki.'
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Acharia has been part of many short films, such as 'Of Her I Dream' (as 'Sharza'), 'Queen's Mile' (as 'Ania'), 'Kiss the Devil in the Dark' (as 'Lilly Demon'), 'Arrivals' (as 'Soyraya'), 'White Chamber' (as 'Ruth'), and 'Genesis' (as 'Alexa Brooks').
In 2016, she played the recurring character 'Amina Sahir' in the Norwegian TV series 'Acquitted,' aired on ‘Walter Presents’ in the U.K.
After a brief appearance in the 'BBC Two' drama 'Red Dwarf,' she began playing 'Dr. Ruby Walker' in the ‘ITV’ medical drama 'The Good Karma Hospital' in 2017. She continues to play the role. Her performance in the series, as an ‘NHS’ junior doctor struggling to maintain a balance between her personal and professional lives, earned her a nomination for the “Best Drama Performance” at the 2019 'National Television Awards.'
In 2018, Acharia played 'Kate' in the TV pilot 'Sibi and Dan.' She was then seen in the lead role of 'Zoe'/'Lee Hunting' in the British psychological crime thriller 'Welcome to Curiosity,' which was perhaps the world's first crowdfunded film. Unfortunately, critics panned the film.
Acharia also lent her voice to the character 'Ama Lahuma' in the 2019 stop-motion animated adventure film 'Missing Link.'
Family & Personal Life
In 2016, Acharia participated in the 'London Marathon,' where she recorded a run-time of 03:46:07.
In 2018, she joined an online campaign to raise funds for the charity 'ChoraChori,' which works to rescue Nepali children who have been trafficked and displaced for slavery and abuse in India. Acharia also serves as the ambassador for the charity.
She is fluent in Ukrainian, Russian, English, and Norwegian. Although a Nepali by birth, she is yet to learn to speak the Nepali language.
Facts About Amrita Acharia
Amrita Acharia is fluent in four languages: English, Ukrainian, Norwegian, and Nepali, showcasing her diverse linguistic abilities.
In addition to her acting career, Amrita Acharia is passionate about environmental issues and has been involved in various conservation efforts.
Amrita Acharia has a black belt in karate, demonstrating her dedication to martial arts and physical fitness.
Despite her on-screen intensity, off-camera, Amrita Acharia is known for her lighthearted sense of humor and infectious laughter.
Amrita Acharia is an avid traveler and has explored numerous countries around the world, immersing herself in different cultures and experiences.
