Lisa Ray facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lisa Ray
The headshots of Lisa Ray's twitter
Born	(1972-04-04) 4 April 1972 (age 53) Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Occupation	Actress model
Years active	1991–present
Spouse(s)	Jason Dehni ​ (m. 2012)​
Children	2

Lisa Rani Ray (born 4 April 1972) is a Canadian actress and model. She became famous in India in the early 1990s for her modeling work. Later, she started acting in films.

Lisa Ray is known for choosing roles in movies that tell important stories. Some of her most famous films include Water (a Canadian film nominated for an Oscar) and The World Unseen (a South African film that won awards).

In 2009, Lisa was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a type of blood cancer. She started a blog called The Yellow Diaries to share her experiences. She has since become a strong supporter of stem-cell therapy and cancer awareness.

Lisa has also hosted popular TV shows. These include a travel show on Discovery Channel India and Top Chef Canada on Food Network. She also shares her poetry on Instagram.

About Lisa Ray's Early Life

Lisa Ray was born in Toronto, Canada. Her father was from Bengal, India, and her mother was Polish and Catholic. She grew up in a suburb called Etobicoke.

As a child, she spoke Polish with her grandmother. She also enjoyed watching movies with her dad. She even spent some time living in Calcutta, India. Lisa was a very good student and finished high school early. She attended three different high schools: Etobicoke Collegiate Institute, Richview Collegiate Institute, and Silverthorn Collegiate Institute.

Lisa Ray's Career in Modelling and Acting

How Lisa Ray Started Modelling

Lisa Ray's modeling career began when she was on a family trip in India. She was still a teenager. She appeared in an advertisement for Bombay Dyeing, which made her famous. After that, she was featured on the cover of Gladrags fashion magazine. This made her a nationwide star in India.

When she became famous, Lisa was planning to go to university in Toronto. But her plans changed after a car accident left her mother in a wheelchair. Lisa returned to India and became one of the country's first supermodels. She became the face of big brands like Lakmé and Bombay Dyeing. She later said that big successes in her life often came after difficult times.

Lisa also modeled for global brands like L’Oréal, MasterCard, De Beers, and Rado. A poll by Times of India named her one of the "most beautiful women of the millennium." She also co-hosted a TV show called Star Biz and appeared in a music video.

Lisa Ray's Acting Journey

Lisa Ray being interviewed on The Hour

Lisa Ray started her acting career in 2001 with the Hindi film Kasoor. Her voice was dubbed in the film because she didn't speak Hindi well at the time. However, her acting was praised. Her performance caught the attention of director Deepa Mehta, who cast her in the film Bollywood/Hollywood in 2002.

After this, Lisa decided she wanted to be a serious actress. She moved to London to study acting. She attended several drama schools, including the Academy of Live and Recorded Arts (ALRA). While studying, she received another offer from Deepa Mehta for the lead role in Water. This film was released in 2005 and received great reviews worldwide. In Water, Lisa spoke her lines in Hindi, though her voice was still dubbed.

Since then, Lisa has acted in films from Canada, Europe, and the United States. She played different characters, like a farm girl in All Hat and a school teacher in A Stone's Throw. In 2008, she starred in I Can't Think Straight, a romantic comedy that won awards at film festivals.

From 2004 to 2008, Lisa lived in cities like Milan, Paris, and New York. She returned to Toronto in 2008 after her mother passed away. In 2009, she appeared in the film Defendor with Woody Harrelson. She also starred in the comedy Cooking with Stella.

At the 2009 Toronto International Film Festival, Lisa shared that she had been diagnosed with multiple myeloma.

Lisa Ray's Life After Cancer Diagnosis

In December 2009, Lisa Ray received a stem cell transplant to treat her cancer. In April 2010, she announced that she was cancer-free because of the transplant. She shared her personal story about fighting cancer in an interview for The Man magazine.

In 2010, Lisa appeared in a documentary about cancer called 1 a Minute. This film featured many cancer survivors and people whose lives were affected by cancer. On July 5, 2010, Lisa hosted a lunch for Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip during their visit to Toronto.

In 2011, Lisa performed in a play called Taj at the Luminato Festival in Toronto. She also appeared in the fantasy drama film Patch Town and an episode of the TV show Murdoch Mysteries. She also hosted Oh My Gold, a travel series on TLC India.

In 2012, Lisa became the host of Top Chef Canada, a very popular cooking show. She hosted the show for three seasons. Lisa has said that every film she chose helped her grow as an actress. She often picked movies that made people think.

In 2016, Lisa starred in Veerappan. She also had an important role in Dobaara in 2017. Since 2019, Lisa has been part of the cast of the Amazon Prime Video web series Four More Shots Please!. This show has been very successful and has had multiple seasons.

Lisa Ray's Personal Life

On June 23, 2009, Lisa Ray was diagnosed with multiple myeloma. This is a rare cancer that affects white blood cells. In April 2010, she announced that she was cancer-free after a special treatment using her own stem cells. While multiple myeloma is not completely curable, Lisa has been managing her health well.

In February 2012, Lisa announced she was engaged to Jason Dehni, a management consultant. They got married on October 20, 2012, in California's Napa Valley. In September 2018, Lisa shared that she and her husband became parents to twin daughters in June 2018. They had their daughters through surrogacy.

Filmography

Film

Television

Lisa Ray's Philanthropy Work

Lisa Ray is also known for her charity work and support for various causes. Here are some of the campaigns and events she has been involved in:

• 2009: 5K Your Way Walk/Run, MMWalk for the Cure (for cancer awareness)
• 2009: Plan Canada's 'Because I Am A Girl' campaign (supporting girls' rights)
• 2010: "1 a Minute" (to inspire women with cancer)
• 2010: Estee Lauder Breast Cancer Awareness
• 2011: 'Make Myeloma Matter' media campaign (for her type of cancer)
• 2011: Artbound, in support of Free The Children (helping children)
• 2011: GIRL 20 SUMMIT (supporting young women leaders)
• 2012: BE FAIR 2 RARE (for rare diseases)
• 2012: Wellspring Cancer 'Graduate' Fashion show
• 2012: "Rhythm and Soul"-THE SPARK GALA 2012 (to help children reach their potential)
• 2012: Ambassador for Pantene Beautiful Lengths campaign in Canada (encouraging hair donation for cancer patients)

See also

• List of Canadian actors
• List of Indian film actresses