- published: 17 Feb 2016
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Jacqueline Fernandez (born 2 June 1985) is a Sri Lankan actress and a model, who appears in Bollywood films. Fernandez is a former model and beauty queen who won Miss Sri Lanka Universe in 2006. She has received an International Indian Film Academy Award and Stardust Award for Best Female Debut in 2010, for her role in Aladin.
Fernandez was born to a Sri Lankan father, who owned an event event management company, and a Malaysian mother. At the age of three her family, including her three siblings moved to Bahrain, where she spent most of her childhood. She moved to Australia for her college degree, and then moved back to Sri Lanka where she worked in modelling, and television reporting and hosting. In March 2006, Fernandez was crowned the Miss Sri Lanka Universe 2006 and subsequently represented Sri Lanka at Miss Universe 2006 where she did not place. From there she began receiving offers to go to India for more modelling, and she got selected for a Bollywood film.
Fernandez made her acting debut in the 2009 Bollywood fantasy movie Aladin opposite Ritesh Deshmukh. She played a character inspired by the Disney Princess character of Jasmine. 2010 saw her once again appearing alongside Ritesh Deshmukh in the romantic comedy Jaane Kahan Se Aayi Hai. She also made a cameo appearance in Sajid Khan's Housefull in the song 'Dhanno' which was a big success. Fernandez almost gave up acting during this time because good roles were not coming to her.