Birthday Special: Priyanka Chopra Jonas on Breaking Stereotypes and Owning Her Space in Hollywood
When we met her during our May 2023 cover shoot, Priyanka was candid as ever.
When asked if Hollywood has truly become more diverse, she was honest. She said, “They need to do a lot more. If you think about leading ladies, how many Indian leading roles have you seen? There are so few we have seen coming into Hollywood.”
On the idea of tokenism, she was clear. “I didn’t want to be one of the checks in the box that says we’ve made our cast diverse, that we have an Indian, an Asian, and so on. I didn’t want to have that. And I know a lot of my colleagues don’t want to do that.”
She recalled telling producers exactly what she stands for. “I’ve taken many meetings where I’ve clearly told producers, don’t put me in stereotypical parts. I don’t want to do it.”
When the conversation moved to work ethic, she made her point with confidence. “I’m going to work hard for you because I know my damn job. I’ll come onto the set and do 10 percent more than what you asked for, or maybe even 20 percent. I will be better than anyone you’ve cast because I’m not afraid of working hard.”
Talking about the shift she’s seen over time, she said, “I hope that maybe by seeing me and other female South Asian talents at the forefront, for example Simone Ashley in Bridgerton, Mindy Kaling in The Mindy Project and everything else she’s doing, or Deepika Padukone, by seeing a lot more of us, Hollywood will get used to the fact that this is normal. It isn’t special or rare.”
Reflecting on where it all began, she remembered, “I first represented India when I was 17 years old, when I went to Miss World. It was a terrifying feeling at that time, because what? I’m representing a nation of a billion people. That’s crazy.”
As her career grew, so did her understanding of its impact. “As my career progressed slowly, I started understanding that what I started with had become so much bigger than me. It’s not just, Priyanka Chopra is an actress who does movies, it’s become larger. All of that isn’t lost on me.”
She also spoke about why the Pre Oscars South Asian Excellence Party was more than just a glamorous event. “That was a deliberate move to show Hollywood that we have power in numbers. We aren’t just two or three people who you see on posters. We’re filmmakers and writers. We come from one of the largest film industries in the world and we have the capability of standing toe to toe with any international filmmaker.”
Despite everything she has achieved, she remains grounded. “I’m trying to make sure that I take that responsibility seriously. But at the same time, I’m still a girl who is an actor who is trying to build a career for myself.”
Also Read: VIDEO: Priyanka Chopra Jonas Starts Her 43rd Birthday With Gratitude
