Sheetal Sheth (born June 24, 1976 ) is an American actress, author, producer, and activist. She starred opposite Albert Brooks in his film Looking for Comedy in the Muslim World. She debuted to rave reviews in the films ABCD and American Chai, and has appeared in the films I Can't Think Straight and The World Unseen. Sheth has won multiple best actress awards on the festival circuit and has been selected to represent such brands as CHI haircare and Reebok. She is also the first Indian American to appear in Maxim magazine. Sheetal's had op-eds published on CNN, The Daily Beast, and Thrive Global. Her first children's book, Always Anjali, debuted to critical acclaim and became is set to be a series. This series is the first picture book series that features a South Asian hero. Early life and education Sheth was born in Trenton, New Jersey, and is a first-generation Gujarati Indian American. Her parents came to the United States from Gujarat, India in 1972. As a child, Sheth loved performing and watching television and films, but academics were her priority. She also studied multicultural dance and was very involved in athletics, particularly basketball. Although her parents were devout Jains and active in the local Jain community, they enrolled Sheth in the local Catholic school because of its focus on academics and reputation for toughness. Sheth attended Catholic school until age 12, when her family moved to Trenton. Sheth attended Liberty High School in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, where she was very involved in school organizations and student government, serving on the student advisory board. She received the student government award for her contribution to the school, and was one of two students invited to speak at her commencement. While in high school, Sheth discovered her passion for acting and was determined to master the craft through study and performance. After considering a variety of undergraduate programs, Sheth auditioned and was accepted to the New York University Tisch School of the Arts. At Tisch, Sheth studied the classics, and some of her favorite works included Antigone and The Crucible. She also trained extensively at the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute in the technique known as "The Method". She spent a summer abroad in Amsterdam as part of the intensive International Theatre Workshop, studying under such respected acting teachers as Kristin Linklater. Sheth excelled and earned the honor of being selected