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NEW YOU: How would you describe your character, Alex, on ABC’s new series, Quantico? PRIYANKA CHOPRA: She is sexy and intelligent. She puts things
together a lot—definitely a female Jason Bourne. NY: Would you say your character reflects you a little? PC: She’s starting to. I’m a bit of an introvert, but Alex isn’t.
She’s my bold alter ego; someone I want to be when I grow up. NY: In one scene, Alex boldly scolds a man with whom she’s previously had sex but who tries to feign ignorance. How does Alex treat men? PC: Her sole focus is to be the best FBI agent ever, and men just
RIYANKA CHOPRA, 33, IS A WOMAN ON A
mission. In the blink of a decade, she has starred in nearly 50 Hindi movies, hosted several Indian television shows, written columns for Elle.com, The New York Times, and The Times of India, and recorded four songs in America. But Chopra is more than just a strikingly pretty face. A passionate advocate for women’s rights and the education of girls, Chopra’s childhood experience of being bullied pushes her to make positive change for others—and the memory of her beloved father, indelibly scrolled in a tattoo on her right wrist, reminds her to be true to herself.
Crowned Miss
World in 2000, Chopra found herself catapulted into the international spotlight, spurring her to become one of India’s highest–paid actresses and one of the country’s most prolific celebrities. But this was no lucky fluke of fame; Chopra has learned through hard work and determination to trust her inner voice and construct a life built upon true self-esteem. We caught up with her in Montreal as she prepares to tackle America, stepping into the lead role on ABC’s new fall series, Quantico.
come and go. That’s how her character thinks. I’ve always believed in breaking barriers when it comes to picking roles, whether it’s in indie movies or on television. I like being able to break down stereotypes and do the unexpected. That’s what Alex is for me. NY: You have a history of taking on strong female characters in Hindi films. Was it a challenge in that society? PC: In the last decade, both society and films have changed.
Female protagonist films are a huge success now. People want to hear about strong girls who take charge of their lives, because young India is like that today. Women don’t want to be treated as inferior anymore. We want our rights and the ability to stand on our own two feet. We want to be treated with the respect we deserve. NY: This speaks to your philanthropy. Why are you passionate about girl’s education and empowering girls to explore? PC: I feel extremely passionate about girls being able
to be independent. My parents taught me that; I was raised like that. My parents never differentiated my brother and me. We were raised equally. We were taught to have opinions, make decisions, and have the courage of conviction. I believe girls all over the world [have been] raised to believe that we need to be protected, or need someone else to feel validated and strong. Now we are in a time where we are enough. We are complete as ourselves, and our flaws make us unique. Perfection is boring anyway. As soon as you find and identify your flaws, there’s no one who can be like you. From that you can take your confidence. NY: What about women who lose hope? PC: I don’t believe in hope. I believe in taking charge of
your life. I don’t think that we should say, “My life will change and be better.” It’s important to work backwards: Identify what your goal is and work backwards and see what is the route to go from there. I’m not just saying this because I am in a privileged position today. I come from a really small town called Bareilly in India. If I can sit here today doing this interview, talking about an international TV show, and almost 50 Hindi movies behind me, it can happen for anyNEWYOU.COM
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