Karen David

{{short description|Canadian actress, singer-songwriter (born 1979)}}

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Karen David

| image = Karen David by Gage Skidmore.jpg

| alt =

| caption = David in 2017

| background = solo_singer

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1979|4|15|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Shillong, Meghalaya, India

| instrument = Vocals

| genre = Pop

| occupation = Actress, singer, songwriter

| years_active = 1999–present

| label = AWAL

| website =

}}

Karen Shenaz David{{cite tweet|user=KarenDavid|first=Karen|last= David|number=50631491331424256|title= @S471M Shenaz is my middle name. :)|date=23 March 2011|access-date=8 October 2021|archive-date= 4 January 2017| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170104000606/https://twitter.com/KarenDavid/status/50631491331424256| url-status=dead}} (born 15 April 1979{{cite tweet|user=KarenDavid|author=Karen David|number=12214936142|title=TEAM KD - hey it is Karen David's birthday today!|date=15 April 2010|access-date=3 January 2017| archive-date= 4 January 2017| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170104000739/https://twitter.com/KarenDavid/status/12214936142 | url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=http://www.scotsman.com/lifestyle/culture/tv-radio/karen-david-on-joining-established-cast-of-cold-feet-1-4226517 |title=Karen David on joining established cast of Cold Feet|work=The Scotsman |location = Edinburgh, Scotland |first= Janet |last=Christie |date=10 September 2016 |access-date=3 January 2017|archive-date=4 January 2017| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170104000413/http://www.scotsman.com/lifestyle/culture/tv-radio/karen-david-on-joining-established-cast-of-cold-feet-1-4226517 | url-status=live|quote=Born in Shillong, India in 1979, to a Chinese-Khasi mother and Indian father, David was brought up in Toronto.}}{{cite web|url=http://www.elle.com/culture/movies-tv/news/a19722/the-new-class/ |title=The 7 Most Exciting Newcomers on TV This Season|work=Elle |location = United States |date=7 January 2015 |access-date=25 February 2017|archive-date= 9 January 2015| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150109035207/http://www.elle.com/culture/movies-tv/news/a19722/the-new-class/| url-status=live|quote= Karen David, 35...}}) is a Canadian actress, singer, and songwriter, best known for portraying Princess Isabella Maria Lucia Elizabetta of Valencia in ABC's fairytale-themed musical-comedy television series Galavant, as well as the Head of Spanish, Cesca Montoya, in the BBC One school-based drama series Waterloo Road and Layla in the American action film The Scorpion King 2: Rise of a Warrior. She starred as Angela in the ITV television series Cold Feet, and played Princess Jasmine/Shirin in the sixth season of Once Upon a Time.

She had a recurring role on The CW's Legacies as Emma, a guidance counselor and witch, and played regular character Grace Mukherjee in Fear the Walking Dead.

Since 2023 she has had a recurring role as former Mi6 agent Rose Dinshaw on NBC’s The Irrational.

Early life

David was born in Shillong, Meghalaya, India,{{cite web|url=http://www.femalefirst.co.uk/celebrity_interviews/Karen+David-52782.html |title=Karen David Interview |publisher=Femalefirst.co.uk |date=16 June 2008 |access-date=8 January 2014}} to a family of "Chinese, Khasi and a sliver of Jewish heritage".{{cite news | url = http://www.wandsworthguardian.co.uk/leisure/music/8390244.Karen_David_goes_from_Waterloo_Road_to_exotic_pop___/ | title= Karen David goes from Waterloo Road to exotic pop.. | work = Wandsworth Guardian | location = UK | date= 17 September 2010 | access-date=6 January 2014 | quote = ...Karen David, 31. | archive-date=7 January 2014 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140107001057/http://www.wandsworthguardian.co.uk/leisure/music/8390244.Karen_David_goes_from_Waterloo_Road_to_exotic_pop___/}} Her mother is of Khasi-Indian and Chinese descent, while her father is Indian-Jewish.{{cite news|title=Waterloo Road star Karen David on blockbusters, bullies and Bollywood|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/home/waterloo-road-star-karen-david-on-blockbusters-bullies-and-bollywood-7424403.html|access-date=24 July 2016|work=London Evening Standard|date=11 April 2011}} She was raised in Canada and then at age 17, David moved to Britain to study at the Guildford School of Acting. She then moved back to Canada for a time in the late 1990s, studying radio and television arts at Ryerson University in Toronto.

Career

= Acting =

Upon finishing drama school, David joined the original cast of the West End musical Mamma Mia!. She made her professional acting debut as part of the ensemble and as understudy of Ali and Lisa. A. R. Rahman, who had been invited to see the show by the director Shekhar Kapur, asked David to assist him and Don Black in the development of the material for the Bollywood-themed musical Bombay Dreams. She performed songs on the show's US and Canada tour, and continued collaborating with Rahman at his Panchathan Record Inn and AM Studios in Chennai, India.{{cite web |title=Multi Talented Karen David is Provoked |author=jaymie |date=2007-06-18 |website=asiancemagazine.com |url=http://www.asiancemagazine.com/jun_2007/multi_talented_karen_david_is_provoked |access-date=8 January 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140108160357/http://www.asiancemagazine.com/jun_2007/multi_talented_karen_david_is_provoked |archive-date=8 January 2014 |url-status=dead}}

She appeared in the music clip "Higher & Higher" (2000) and in two short television videos, Dancers: The Trailer (2002), playing the role of Jenny, and The Paper Round (2002), playing the role of a policewoman. She then landed a role in the musical Bollywood Queen (2003), as a member of the R&B band at the story's center.{{cite web |first=Meera |last=Dattani |title=BritishAsian Films |website=close-upfilm.com |year=2003 |url=http://www.close-upfilm.com/features/Featuresarchive/asiamania.htm |access-date=8 January 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121114043704/http://www.close-upfilm.com/features/Featuresarchive/asiamania.htm |archive-date=14 November 2012 |url-status=dead}}{{cite web |title=Bollywood Queen |publisher=Mubi |year=2002 |url=https://mubi.com/en/ca/films/bollywood-queen |access-date=2024-10-08}} Through 2004 and 2005, she played Scarlet in MTV's Top Buzzer.

David played Lyla, a main character in the London-based film Take 3 Girls (2006). Other work during this time includes Steven Seagal's Flight of Fury (2007) as Barnes' Operational Soldier Flanders, The Colour of Magic (2008) as Liessa, the Dragonlady, and The Legend of Dick and Dom (2009) as Fairy Frampton. David appeared as the female lead, Layla, in The Scorpion King 2: Rise of a Warrior (2008), filmed in Cape Town, South Africa.{{cite web |title=Babe of the Day: Karen David |first=Jay |last=Hainsworth |website=IGN |date=19 August 2008 |url=http://uk.stars.ign.com/articles/899/899816p1.html |access-date= |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120214174208/http://uk.stars.ign.com/articles/899/899816p1.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=14 February 2012}}{{cite web |last=Sciarretto |first=Amy |date=19 August 2008 |title=Karen David of 'The Scorpion King 2' |url=http://www.artistdirect.com/nad/news/article/0,,4758444,00.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081013032054/http://www.artistdirect.com/nad/news/article/0,,4758444,00.html |archive-date=2008-10-13 |access-date= |publisher=Artistdirect}}{{cite web |title=Karen David Fights! |first=Jordan |last=Hoffman |publisher=UGO Networks |date=18 August 2008 |url=http://www.ugo.com/movies/scorpion-king-2-video-gallery-karen-david |access-date=16 December 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110615183408/http://www.ugo.com/movies/scorpion-king-2-video-gallery-karen-david |archive-date=15 June 2011 |url-status=dead}}{{cite web |title=Scorpion King 2 interview |first=Bruce |last=Kirkland |website=Jam! |date=18 August 2008 |url=http://jam.canoe.ca/Video/DVD_Column/2008/08/18/6484921-sun.html |access-date= |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130115071354/http://jam.canoe.ca/Video/DVD_Column/2008/08/18/6484921-sun.html |url-status=usurped |archive-date=15 January 2013}}

In September 2010, David played the Spanish teacher, Francesca "Cesca" Montoya, in series six of BBC One's drama, Waterloo Road. While Waterloo Road was still airing, David landed the role of legend hunter Alexia Alderton in Pixelface, a CBBC children's comedy series about six video game characters and what they do when they are not inside their games. The second series aired on 3 January 2012.{{cite web |title= Pixelface {{!}} Episodes {{!}} Series 2 |website=British Comedy Guide |url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/pixelface/episodes/2/ |access-date=2024-10-09}}

David appeared on American television with a guest role on the Fox series Touch in 2012, playing Kayla Graham. On the episode she performed the song "Three Little Birds", which was then released as a soundtrack single with Wendy & Lisa by 20th Century Fox TV Records on 28 February 2012.{{cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yz2HFwRJt_Y |title=Touch-"Three Little Birds" |date=28 February 2012 |medium=YouTube |publisher=Fox Broadcasting |access-date=29 February 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120312004534/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yz2HFwRJt_Y |archive-date=2012-03-12 |people=Karen David, Wendy & Lisa}}

In February 2013, David appeared in the two-part episode "Target" of the ABC TV series Castle, in the USA. David played Sara El-Masri, daughter of Egyptian tycoon, Anwar El-Masri. Whilst filming these episodes, David and a stuntman were injured when the door to the moving van they were in failed to close properly. David was placed in a neck brace, while the stuntman sustained serious head injuries.{{cite web |first=Morgan |last=Jeffery |title='Waterloo Road' actress Karen David lands 'Castle' role |website=Digital Spy |date=15 January 2013 |url=https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/ustv/a451118/waterloo-road-actress-karen-david-lands-castle-role/ |access-date=2024-10-09}}{{cite web |last=Andreeva |first=Nellie |title=Update: Seriously Injured 'Castle' Stuntman Slowly Improving |website=Deadline Hollywood |date=25 January 2013 |url=https://deadline.com/2013/01/castle-stuntman-in-hospital-after-on-set-accident-407842/ |access-date=2024-10-09}}

David has reappeared on US televisions, as "Princess Isabella Maria Lucia Elizabetta of Valencia", in the ABC television series Galavant, which premiered on 4 January 2015, for a four-week extravaganza.{{cite web |title=[main page] |url=http://kd.innersanxtum.com/ |url-access=subscription |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140214111448/http://kd.innersanxtum.com/ |archive-date=2014-02-14 |access-date=2 February 2014 |publisher=Karen David Official Website}}

In 2019, David joined the cast of Fear the Walking Dead as Grace Mukherjee and stayed with the series until the start of the final season.

= Music =

thumb

David released her first single, "It's Me (You're Talking To)", in 2003, when she was signed to BMG Music. This single was a top 10 airplay hit in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.{{cite web|url=http://www.tubelyrics.org/artist_karen_david-about-14012.html |title=Karen David |publisher=Tubelyrics.org |date=15 April 1979 |access-date=8 January 2014}}

She collaborated with A. R. Rahman on the main theme song for the film Provoked in 2006. After working alongside Rahman to produce the soundtrack for this movie, she found herself back with him in his Chennai studio, in 2007, to write and record the song, "Alive".{{Cite web |date= |title=DesiMag - Exclusive - Karen David - Magic Carpet Ride |url=http://www.desimag.co.uk/music/423.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110302145557/http://www.desimag.co.uk/music/423.html |archive-date=2011-03-02 |access-date= |website=www.desimag.co.uk}} The following year she released her first EP, The Live Sessions EP.{{Cite web |date= |title=Karen David releases The Live Sessions EP {{!}} channelAPA.com |url=http://www.channelapa.com/2008/04/karen-david-releases-live-sessions-ep.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110907050618/http://www.channelapa.com/2008/04/karen-david-releases-live-sessions-ep.html |archive-date=2011-09-07 |access-date= |website=www.channelapa.com}} In 2009 she released her next EP, Magic Carpet Ride.{{Cite web |date= |title=KAREN DAVID MAGIC CARPET RIDE OFFICIAL HIGH QUALITY RADIO EDIT {{!}} Video Youtube - NMETV Latest Music Videos and Clips {{!}} - NME.COM |url=http://www.nme.com/nme-video/youtube/id/Q2DkMuGmYtg/search/pathaan |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130501013240/http://www.nme.com/nme-video/youtube/id/Q2DkMuGmYtg/search/pathaan |archive-date=2013-05-01 |access-date= |website=www.nme.com}}

In May 2010, David released the single "Hypnotize", along with three mixes{{cite web |url=http://simplybhangra.com/urbandesi/3523-karen-david-set-to-hypnotize-fans-in-bbcs-waterloo-road |title=Karen David set to 'Hypnotize' fans in BBC's Waterloo Road |publisher=SimplyBhangra.com |access-date=8 January 2014 |archive-date=8 January 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140108154829/http://simplybhangra.com/urbandesi/3523-karen-david-set-to-hypnotize-fans-in-bbcs-waterloo-road |url-status=dead }} and a Hypnotize Desi Mix EP. The following year she released the album The Girl in the Pink Glasses. 20th Century Fox TV Records released "Three Little Birds", as sung by Kayla Graham (David), on Touch, on 28 February 2012.

In 2013 David released her final personal recording to-date, the EP Dust to Stars, on which she collaborated with songwriter-producers, Stefan Skarbek, Carl Ryden, Boots Ottestad, Adam Argyle and Martin Brammer.{{cite web|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/akeela-bhattay/dust-to-stars--in-conversation-with-britcanadian-talent-karen-david_b_3881367.html |title=Dust to Stars | In Conversation With Brit/Canadian Talent, Karen David |author=Akeela Bhattay |work=HuffPost |date=6 September 2013 |access-date=8 January 2014}} Since then, she has been a member of the 2015 and 2016 cast soundtracks for Galavant.

Charity work

David is active in Designers Against Aids{{cite web |url=http://www.designersagainstaids.com/friends_of_daa/item/new_friend_of_daa_karen_david/ |title=New Friend of DAA: Karen David |publisher=Designers Against AIDS |access-date=8 January 2014 |archive-date=5 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190105104921/http://www.designersagainstaids.com/friends_of_daa/item/new_friend_of_daa_karen_david |url-status=dead }} and the SOS Children's Villages Foundation.{{cite web|url=http://www.thamarai.com/news-details/45097450/karen-davids-charity-pledge.html |title=Karen David's Charity Pledge |publisher=Thamarai.com |access-date=8 January 2014}}

She produced a T-shirt to raise money for ActionAid's PoverTee Day, which was auctioned off on 18 June 2010.{{cite web|url=http://fashionistabarbieuk.com/?s=karen+david |title=Karen David | Fashionista Barbie |publisher=Fashionistabarbieuk.com |access-date=8 January 2014}} In December 2010, David released a charity Christmas EP, My Christmas List, to raise money for the housing and homelessness charity Shelter.{{cite web |url=http://www.desi-box.com/media/Urban-News/karen-david-set-to-release-her-new-ep-my-christmas-list.html |title=Karen David set to release her new EP My Christmas List – Desi-Box.com | News, Music Videos, Interviews, Bollywood, Bhangra, Urban |publisher=Desi-Box.com |date=13 December 2010 |access-date=8 January 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120305125057/http://www.desi-box.com/media/Urban-News/karen-david-set-to-release-her-new-ep-my-christmas-list.html |archive-date=5 March 2012 |url-status=dead }}

Along with others, David painted a self-portrait to help raise funds for Face Britain, a project of The Prince's Trust Foundation.{{cite web |url=http://parents.facebritain.org.uk/whoisinvolved/famousfaces/1/23/ |title=Karen David |publisher=Face Britain |access-date=8 January 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140108163340/http://parents.facebritain.org.uk/whoisinvolved/famousfaces/1/23/ |archive-date=8 January 2014 |url-status=dead }}

Personal life

In 2013, she married Swedish songwriter and music producer Carl Ryden,{{Cite web|title=CARL RYDEN|url=https://pittbuhl.com/artists/carlryden.html|access-date=2021-02-03|website=pittbuhl.com}} at La Venta Inn in Palos Verdes Peninsula, California.{{cite news | url = http://ca.hellomagazine.com/brides/2013071813590/actress-karen-david-chats-to-hello-about-wedding-day/ | title= Exclusive interview: actress Karen David chats to HELLO! Online about her wedding | work = Hello! | date = 18 July 2013}}

Filmography

class="wikitable sortable"

|+ Film

! Year

! Title

! Role

2003

| Bollywood Queen

| Neeta

2005

| Batman Begins

| Courthouse Reporter No. 1

rowspan=2|2006

| Take 3 Girls

| Lyla

Provoked

| Asha

2007

| Flight of Fury

| Barnes's Operational Soldier Flanders

rowspan=2|2008

| The Scorpion King 2: Rise of a Warrior

| Layla

The Colour of Magic

| Liessa

2009

| Couples Retreat

| Spa Attendant

2012

| Red Lights

| Dana

2014

| Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit

| Penn

2015

| Amar, Akbar & Tony

| Meera

2016

| The Tiger Hunter

| Ruby Iqbal

rowspan=2|2022

| Land of Gold

| Asha

When Christmas Was Young

| Melody Douglass

2024

| Isabel's Garden

| Maya

class="wikitable sortable"

|+ Television

! Year

! Title

! Role

! class="unsortable" | Notes

2003

| Holby City

| Eve Hotton

| 1 episode

2004

| Top Buzzer

| Scarlet

| 1 episode

2009

| The Legend of Dick and Dom

| Fairy Frampton

| 1 episode

2010–2011

| Waterloo Road

| Cesca Montoya

| Main cast; 20 episodes (series 6)

2011

| Strike Back: Project Dawn

| Barmaid

| 2 episodes

2011–2012

| Pixelface

| Alexia

| Main cast; 26 episodes

2012

| Touch

| Kayla Graham

| 1 episode

2013

| Castle

| Sara El-Masri

| 2 episodes

2015–2016

| Galavant

| Princess Isabella

| Main cast

2016–2017

| Once Upon a Time

| Princess Jasmine

| Recurring role; 9 episodes

2016

|Cold Feet

|Angela Zubayr

2018

|Criminal Minds

|Special Agent Mary Meadows

|2 episodes

2018–2022

|Barry

|Sharon Lucado

|4 episodes

2018–2021

|Legacies

|Emma Tig

|Recurring role (seasons 1–2)

Guest role (seasons 3–4)

2018

|Timeless

|Young Denise Christopher

|Episode: "The Day Reagan Was Shot"

2019–2023

| Fear the Walking Dead

| Grace Mukherjee

| Main cast (seasons 5–8); 29 episodes

2019–2020

| The Rookie

| Detective Rita Calderon

| 2 episodes

2020–2022

| Mira, Royal Detective

| Shilpa, Ashima and Rubi (voice)

| Recurring roles

2023–2025

|The Irrational

|Rose Dinshaw

|11 episodes

class="wikitable sortable"

|+ TV/Video shorts

! Year

! Title

! Role

! class="unsortable" | Notes

rowspan=2|2002

| Dancers: The Trailer

| Jenny

The Paper Round

| Police Woman

class="wikitable"

|+Video games

!Year

!Title

!Role

!Notes

2016

|Dead Rising 4

|Vicky "Vick" Chu

|Voice role

2016

|Mirror's Edge Catalyst

|Isabel Kruger

|Voice role

2024

|Call of Duty: Black Ops 6

|Sevati Dumas

|Voice role and performance capture{{Cite web |last=KarenDavid |date=2024-06-10 |title=Hey lovelies. To answer your questions, I can confirm that I'm in the new @CallofDuty #BLACKOPS6 game as a new main character alongside some stellar characters and the talent behind them! 🙏🏾🙌🏾 Here's the new trailer reveal. Guys… be still my beating heart. It's so f***'in epic! Cannot wait for you guys to see and play this game. It takes a huge village of talent in all departments to make this possible. This has been such a thrilling adventure. More news to come in the lead up to October 25th release. 💟🙏🏾🎮 |url=https://x.com/KarenDavid/status/1800332557483196892 |access-date=2024-06-11 |website=X (formerly Twitter)}}

class="wikitable sortable"

|+ Other

! Year

! Title

! Role

! class="unsortable" | Notes

2003

| The Making of Bollywood Queen (video documentary)

| Herself

2005

| Eureka (commercial)

| Police Woman

2008

| The Making of The Scorpion King 2: The Rise of a Warrior (video documentary short)

| Herself

Music videos

= Music videos =

class="wikitable" ! Date ! Song Title
2000	{{YouTube \| id=DHOrJhDIjW4 \| title=Higher and Higher}}
2003	It's Me (You're Talking To)
Jun 2007	Alive
Jun 2009	{{YouTube \| id=W29VvYBNnc4 \| title=Magic Carpet Ride}}
Apr 2010	{{YouTube \| id=R2pRdQatzSI \| title=Hypnotize}}
Jun 2011	{{YouTube \| id=wWHvJPqpsLM \| title=Superheroes}}
July 2013	{{YouTube \| id=qrDy9JE55Zw \| title=Daydreamer}}
Aug 2013	{{YouTube \| id=_MPSaSRwkFk \| title=Dust to Stars}}

= Remixes/radio edits =

class="wikitable" ! Year ! Song Title
Jul 2009	{{YouTube \| id=Q2DkMuGmYtg \| title=Magic Carpet Ride : Radio edit}}
Jul 2009	{{YouTube \| id=Rv_7ovkLN-M \| title=Magic Carpet Ride : Flavasia Desi Mix}}
Sep 2010	{{YouTube \| id=9Omfb_rMGyk \| title=Hypnotize : The Definitive Radio Mix}}
Sep 2010	{{YouTube \| id=YiqlU0U2VzQ \| title=Hypnotize : The Almighty Mix }}