Dev Patel

Dev Patel is a British actor and filmmaker who first captured the world’s attention at the age of 18 with his starring role in Danny Boyle’s Slumdog Millionaire, which won eight Academy Awards including Best Picture in 2009. Born on April 23, 1990, in Harrow, London, to Gujarati Indian parents who emigrated from Nairobi, Kenya, Patel had minimal acting experience before landing the role of Jamal Malik. His performance in the film launched a career that has spanned nearly two decades and established him as one of the most versatile actors of his generation.

Following Slumdog Millionaire, Patel took on a wide range of roles that showcased his dramatic range. He starred in the HBO series The Newsroom from 2012 to 2014, played the mathematical genius Srinivasa Ramanujan in The Man Who Knew Infinity (2015), and delivered an Oscar-nominated performance in Lion (2016), where he portrayed Saroo Brierley, an Indian-born Australian man searching for his birth family. His role in Lion earned him nominations for the Academy Award, BAFTA, and Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Supporting Actor.

Patel continued to push creative boundaries with roles in Hotel Mumbai (2018), The Personal History of David Copperfield (2020), and the action epic The Green Knight (2021). In 2024, he made his directorial debut with Monkey Man, an action thriller that he also wrote, produced, and starred in. The film was a critical and commercial success, grossing over $35 million worldwide and demonstrating Patel’s talents behind the camera as well as in front of it.

With a net worth estimated at $10 million in 2026, Patel has built his wealth through consistent work in prestige films and his expanding role as a filmmaker. His ability to move between independent cinema and larger studio productions has kept him in demand. He continues to develop projects as both an actor and director, positioning himself for continued growth in the entertainment industry.