Priyanka Chopra Jonas effortlessly moves between acting, producing and being an entrepreneur, and she does so around the world.
So, at Cannes Lions on Wednesday, she took the stage at the Debussy Theatre at the Palais des Festivals to a raucous reception to discuss such themes as cultural fluency and such questions as: What does it take for a story, a film, or a brand to move across cultures without losing what makes it matter? Her appearance was moderated by People Inc exec Leah Wyar.
“Don’t take audiences for granted” was one of the pieces of advice, or personal learnings, she shared on stage. “Listen!” Another one was that “confidence is about practice” or like going to the gym. “You can’t fake confidence” and will not always have it, requiring moments to remind yourself of your value, skills and what you bring to the table, the star shared, adding: “I have seen a lot of people meld.”
Among the other tips she shared was the importance of authenticity, which the star argued includes not always being in full control. As such, she suggested that we not to strive for perfection but also accept some weaknesses and shortcomings.
Asked about her next career goals, Chopra Jonas said: “How to bring in my English-language career that variety to my characters that I have been able to do in India.” Plus, figuring out the work-life balance of a working parent.
She is not afraid of change and disruption in the entertainment industry. “Evolution is hard,” Chopra Jonas said. “But I also like a challenge.”
Priyanka Chopra Jonas at Cannes Lions.
Georg Szalai
She then pointed out some of the benefits of industry changes, such as the rise of foreign-language and subtitled content. “My mom loves Korean dramas,” the superstar shared to laughter.
And she mentioned Hollywood’s current phenomenon, Curry Barker’s Obsession, mentioning how with technology, it has become easier for people to create. “If you wanted to get into filmmaking, you used to have to figure out what department you wanted to be in. It was really hard to get into the industry,” Chopra Jonas said. Now, if you “feel like you have an idea, shoot it, put it on YouTube, and it can become Obsession, the movie that just came out right now. What a wonderful time to be an entertainer, to be in the entertainment business!”
The multi-hyphenate on Wednesday also shared how she decided to break down walls. “I wanted more work, which had me as a lead, which had me doing parts that I don’t think a lot of studios imagined an Indian actor to be,” Chopra Jonas told the Cannes Lions crowd. “So I started producing my own movies. And I’ve heard this from so many female colleagues of mine that when you want to move along, there’s a glass ceiling that has been set for most women in entertainment. You just have to do it yourself, and that was very inspiring to me.”
Talk of resetting expectations and opportunities led to questions about the star’s upcoming movies. “This latest one, Reset, is very exciting to me” and sees her starring opposite another big name, she explained. “Orlando Bloom and I have known each other for many, many years. We both worked with UNICEF for many years. We wanted to work together for a long time.”
Reset is a survival thriller directed by Matt Smukler (Wildflower) and written by Jordan Rawlins.
Chopra Jonas starsa as a woman who wakes up in the middle of the wilderness with no memory of how she got there, with her only chance at survival seeming to be a charming stranger (Bloom) who may not be who he says he is.
The star said she loves working as an actress and a producer, a role in which “you feel so involved in almost every department.” How does she choose movies as a producer? “I try not to follow trends” but consider how a film will make people feel, she explained.
In comparison, when it comes to acting, “there’s a freedom to knowing that a filmmaker like S.S. Rajamouli, one of India’s most prolific filmmakers, has complete control,” she shared. Chopra Jonas features in the cast of his upcoming Varanasi, about a Shiva devotee who is sent on a mysterious mission to find an ancient cosmic artifact. “This is a really ambitious movie, and it’s going to come out in April 2027,” the star said.
Asked about a good and a great film, Chopra Jonas had this to offer on Wednesday. “A good movie is something you invest two hours in to watch – three hours if it’s an Indian movie,” she said, drawing laughter. “An event is something that you discuss, that shifts culture.”
