Beautiful. Radiant. Philanthropic. Badass. If given the challenge to describe Priyanka Chopra in only four words, I think those particular adjectives may be the most accurate choices. Currently, the action star is serving her talents on the set of The Matrix 4, director Lana Wachowski’s highly anticipated new installment to the sci-fi franchise she started with her sister, Lilly, but the services that the actress puts forth go much further than kicking butt onscreen.
Born in Bihar, India, on July 18, 1982, her initial claim to fame was being crowned Miss World in 2000, which paved the way for her to become a star of the Indian Film Industry (the term that she prefers over the commonly used “Bollywood,” as she revealed to Stephen Colbert in 2017). Landing the lead role of the ABC drama Quantico, about an FBI agent who becomes the prime suspect of a terrorist attack, is what propelled her to household name status in the United States. Not to mention, Priyanka Chopra (or, as she is now legally called, Priyanka Chopra Jonas) also made headlines for her marriage to Nick Jonas - the youngest Jonas Brother… in that band, that is.
Having evolved into such a widely beloved, international figure, it seems like it would be a nearly impossible task to find even six things about Priyanka Chopra that are considered lesser known to the public. However, that is exactly what we have managed to do, starting with one revealing fact that proves even the most talented and beautiful stars are not invulnerable to rough beginnings.
While Attending High School In The US, Priyanka Chopra Was Bullied For Her Race
America would eventually fall head over heels for Priyanka Chopra as her fame in the States rose, but, unfortunately, the Indian actress’ first taste of the country was a bitter one. Newton, Massachusetts was where she attended high school, at which she was subjected to racist insults from students calling her names like “Browny” or “Curry” or being told to “go back on the elephant [she] came on,” as she recalled in a 2019 interview with WSFB 3, a local news station in Connecticut. She then added that, instead of allowing the experience to kill her self-esteem, it inspired her to be a force for change and the growth of culturally diversity, especially in the media, which she continues to push for from behind the camera.
Priyanka Chopra Started Her Own Production Company To Give Opportunities To Fresh, Unrecognized Talents
According to IMDb, Priyanka Chopra has a current total of 75 acting credits to her name, which may be quite a bit more than most American audiences may have expected as the majority of those roles are from her home country. You may also be surprised to learn the number of films for which she has been credited as a producer, including the recent Amazon original horror film Evil Eye (in association with Blumhouse), since launching Purple Pebble Pictures in 2016. She told India Today about her goal to make films that she believes she "may not have seen being made otherwise” and her personal importance “to give new talent [the right] opportunities.”
While Filming A Stunt For Quantico, Priyanka Chopra Suffered A Concussion
While the artistic opportunities that Priyanka Chopra has been given from her role on Quantico are unquestionable, working on the ABC crime drama from 2015 to 2018 was not always such a blessing for the series’ leading star. In January 2017, TMZ reported that the actress was sent to the hospital with a concussion after she slipped and hit her head while filming a stunt for Season 2, followed by a much-needed break from production. While that must be the most painful accident that Chopra suffered during her involvement with the network, it is, easily, not the most embarrassing.
ABC's Nightline Mistook Another Indian Actress For Priyanka Chopra In A Promo
In 2015, hot off the premiere of Quantico, ABC’s evening news program Nightline did a piece detailing Priyanka Chopra’s struggle to overcome racial barriers, which the network promoted with an ad showing what they assumed was a photo of the actress after her Miss World crowning. However, as fashion website HighHeelConfidential pointed out in a tweet, it was actually an image of Yutka Mookhey: a fellow Indian actress and Chopra’s 1999 predecessor of the aforementioned beauty pageant title. Nightline would later take to Twitter to apologize for the ironic mistake, which Chopra seemed to take in stride, not letting it taint her relationship with ABC.
Priyanka Chopra Initially Didn't Think Her Relationship With Nick Jonas Would Lead To Marriage
Yet, believe it or not, one relationship that Priyanka Chopra was at risk of tainting at one time was with her eventual husband, Nick Jonas. While talking with Entertainment Tonight in 2019 about her romance with the actor and musician (with whom she tied the knot a year earlier), she revealed in the following confession that their future did not look so promising to her and how he was able to change her mind:
One of the things that first struck me about him was we were on a date and it was time for the date to get over, we were [with] a bunch of friends, and I had a meeting... and I was dropping hints to my friends and they were like, 'No, don't go for the meeting. Just stay.' And I was like 'No, no, no. If someone gives me reason enough to cancel it, I'll cancel it.' And he just didn't pick up the hint.I said it twice. I said it thrice. Finally he took me aside and was like, 'Look, I'm not stupid. I know what you're trying to do. But I would never be the one to tell you to cancel work because I know how hard you've worked to be where you are. So, if you could've canceled it, you would've done it. I'll take our friends out for dinner and we'll wait for you and you finish your meeting and come back.' And I was just like, 'That's the first time someone's ever done that.'
The power couple has been inseparable ever since, with Priyanka Chopra even going on to star in a few music videos for her husband’s band, The Jonas Brothers. Nick Jonas has made several public efforts to express his love for his wife, including an Instagram post on 2019’s International Women’s Day in which he referred to her as a “beacon of light and inspiration to so many all around the world.” Well, he is certainly not the only one who feels that way.
Priyanka Chopra Has Been Working With UNICEF Since 2006
In addition to acting, producing, and her celebrity marriage, Priyanka Chopra is otherwise best known for her philanthropic efforts - involving herself in promoting cultural diversity, ending poverty, protecting children from sexual exploitation, and decreasing the threat of climate change, among other issues. Her work in support of UNICEF dates all the way back to 2006, and she has since been appointed as a National Ambassador and Global Goodwill Ambassador by the organization. Her passion for these causes can also be seen in some of her screen credits, such as her narration for a segment of the 2013 documentary Girl Rising, which was also the first film which she served as producer for.
What do you think? Are you excited to see more of what charitable causes Priyanka Chopra may bring to the screen next, or are you especially interested in seeing her kick more butt? Let us know in the comments and be sure to check back for additional information and updates on the Matrix 4 actress, as well as even more in-depth looks into the lives of your favorite celebrities, here on CinemaBlend.
