Melanie Kannokada

Melanie Kannokada, an American actress, model, producer, and writer, was born on February 28, 1986, in Park Ridge, Illinois. She is best known for her series regular role as Dr. Malaya Pineda on CBS's Code Black and for starring in and executive producing Comedy Central's holiday comedy Hot Mess Holiday alongside Surina Jindal and Kal Penn. Her television work spans drama and comedy, with appearances on Grey's Anatomy, New Amsterdam, Law & Order: SVU, Elsbeth, Parenthood, Nashville, Rules of Engagement, and recurring roles on HBO's The Brink and Netflix's Brown Nation. She also stars in the indie horror comedy Onyx the Fortuitous and the Talisman of Souls, an official selection of the 2023 Sundance Film Festival.

A Stanford University graduate with a background in mechanical engineering and improvisational comedy, Melanie left a career in corporate consulting to pursue acting full-time. She is a second-degree black belt in karate and co-founder of the nonprofit Hospital for Hope India. She was also one of the first Indian American women to front a global beauty campaign as part of Bare Escentuals' "Be a Force of Beauty." With a slim build, brown hair, and brown eyes, she stands 5'6" tall. Her career has been active since 2008, and she has amassed a following of 46k on Instagram. She continues to work across genres, balancing her roles in front of and behind the camera.