Actor, producer and entrepreneur Priyanka Chopra Jonas has called for breaking long-held gender stereotypes, saying household chores such as cooking and cleaning are not exclusively women's responsibilities but essential life skills for everyone.
Speaking during a fireside conversation at the Cannes Lions festival, the Bollywood and Hollywood star also reflected on authenticity, audience engagement, career reinvention and balancing work with motherhood.
Addressing gender roles in modern society, Priyanka said traditional beliefs assigning household responsibilities solely to women need to change.
“Cleaning and cooking aren’t women’s work. They’re basic adulting. Don’t confuse gender with laziness,” she said.
The actress stressed that daily household tasks are basic life skills that every adult should learn, regardless of gender. She added that women today have far greater opportunities than ever before and encouraged society to move beyond outdated stereotypes.
Technology has opened new opportunities
Priyanka said technological advancements have made it easier for aspiring filmmakers and entertainers to enter the industry.
“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,” she said.
She also highlighted how ideas have become the most valuable currency in entertainment. “If you have an idea, shoot it, put it on YouTube, and it can become ‘Obsession,’ the movie that just came out,” she said.
“What a wonderful time to be an entertainer, to be in the entertainment business, because ideas are your currency.”
Career without industry connections
Reflecting on the beginning of her career, Priyanka said entering the film industry was challenging because she came from a non-film background.
“My parents were doctors, so none of us had any idea how to navigate film,” she said. She recalled that filmmaking was once a niche industry where newcomers had limited opportunities.
The actress also remembered being told early in her career that Indian cinema would never become as globally influential as Hollywood because it was produced in languages other than English.
Priyanka said she later established her own production company to help emerging filmmakers with promising ideas gain opportunities they might otherwise struggle to access. She explained that her goal is to support talented storytellers who need someone to open doors for them.
Authenticity matters more than perfection
During the discussion, Priyanka said authenticity -- not perfection -- is what builds lasting relationships with audiences.
“The most important thing is to not take your audience for granted,” she said. She added that attention must be earned repeatedly through continuous evolution.
“I never take the attention or love or appreciation that I've gotten for a particular project for granted and assume that I'm going to have it for the rest of my life,” she said.
“You have to constantly make sure that you're listening to the audiences.”
Priyanka admitted that she once chased perfection but eventually realised audiences connect more with honesty and vulnerability.
“That emotional connection came from saying I made a mistake,” she said. “I realised very early in my career that that emotional connection with your audience comes from being able to accept and be real about the fact that I'm doing my best.”
She noted that today's audiences know much more about celebrities than previous generations did, making authenticity even more important.
Choosing authentic brand partnerships
The actress said she only works with brands that she genuinely uses and whose values align with her own.
“To be the best partner, I have to have an authentic partnership,” she said. “It had to come from something that was real.”
She also described confidence as something that must be practised every day. “Confidence is a practice, and it's a choice that you have to make. It's not with you all the time,” she said.
Expanding her Hollywood career
Priyanka said her next professional goal is to bring the same range of characters to her English-language projects that she has portrayed throughout her Hindi-language career.
“In my Hindi-language career, I’ve worked with all the best filmmakers and the best actors, I’ve told amazing stories and done a variety of genres,” she said.
“In America, in Hollywood, in my English-language work, I haven’t really done that as much.”
She described that ambition as her “next reinvention.”
Priyanka credited streaming platforms and the COVID-19 pandemic with exposing audiences to films and shows from around the world. She said her mother now enjoys Korean dramas and Iranian films because of streaming services.
She also pointed to the worldwide success of Squid Game and the Oscar-winning Parasite as proof that non-English-language productions are no longer considered niche.
The actress revealed that she is currently working on Varanasi, a Telugu-language project that will be dubbed into nearly 200 languages.
Life after marriage and motherhood
Priyanka also spoke candidly about how marriage and motherhood have transformed her priorities.
“My life has changed tremendously,” she said.
She explained that she no longer takes on as many film projects or travels as extensively as before, choosing instead to be more selective with her time.
“I’m navigating working-mom life. I have so much more respect for my mother now,” she added.
On the professional front, Priyanka was recently seen in the second season of Prime Video's Citadel, directed by the Russo Brothers, as well as Heads of State.
She continues to balance acting, producing and entrepreneurship while expanding her career across global entertainment markets.
