In Love with Dev Patel

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First it was Calvin Harris who transformed from a rather forgettable duck into the most glorious of swans, and now it’s dawning on us that Dev Patel has undergone a similar (though not as drastic) journey. If you remember Dev from Skins, or even from his fantastic turn in Slumdog Millionaire, you’ll recall a tall, gangly, ever so awkward looking teen. Today, as he travels all over to promote The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, it appears Dev has grown into a rather handsome young man, complete with trendy beard and wildly impressive dance moves (you’ll have to see the movie for proof). The Guardian describe his new do as rather ‘GQ-ish hair’. And to be quite honest, we’ve fallen head over heels for him (we don’t care that he’s only 24).

Dev in Skins

What makes Dev Patel even more likable, however, is the fact that he appears to be one of the most grounded, affable and well mannered men in the business. Despite his success, he’s painfully self deprecating and what’s more, he’s staggeringly sweet when speaking about his now ex, Freida Pinto. Recently, Dev did an interview with The Guardian in which he spoke about his shyness, how he always feels like an outsider, and that time when Mario Testino said to him that he could not understand why Pinto would be interested in someone as ordinary as Dev. Yep, one read of this interview and you too will want smother him in cuddles. Here are some choice quotes to make you fall for this unlikely Indian heart throb.

On his Mario Testino story: ?I remember going to this one Burberry show, and it was exciting. They’ve always been very kind to me and, even as a gangly guy, I felt I was rocking their suits. So when I was invited to one of the?fashion shows?in London, I went. Even though I had this preconceived notion – ?I’m not going to fit in with this crowd, it’s going to be intimidating?. I was sitting there, and this fellow says, ?Are you the one datingFreida?Pinto?? And I’m like, ?Yeah, I guess.?? He gives an embarrassed shrug. ?And then he says: ?Why? How? Why is she’dating you? She’s so beautiful.? And I say, ?Yeah. She is!? And then he says: ?But you’re so, ugh, so normal-looking.?? Patel looks upset even now. It turns out it was the photographer Mario Testino.

On his relationship with Freida now: ?We are incredibly close. She’s just a really generous, patient human being who has been one of the most impactful people on my life. A lot of my motivation has come from her, from being with her and knowing her.?

On his decision to avoid Google:??It’s a very dangerous thing and confidence is very fragile – mine is. I wouldn’t dare play with it now because it’s so essential to what I do. I made the mistake of reading the papers early on, when we did Slumdog.?

On how he’s not interested in getting mixed up with the wrong crowd in Hollywood. ?I was very lucky I was with Freida at the time, and we were both learning about the industry together. And I have a ball-breaking sister. If I slip up, she’ll be the first one on the phone to say, ?What the hell were you thinking??”

“I don’t want to become one of those jaded people. LA is industry-obsessed, and people forget how to have any other conversation. I don’t want to be that.”

Dev, if you’re reading this, look us up on Tinder. Freida, what were you thinking?

@CarolineForan