MarieClaire
  • News
  • Fashion
  • Beauty
  • Lifestyle
  • Career
  • Bridal
  • Podcasts
  • Beyond Beauty
  • Video
MarieClaire
  • News
  • Fashion
  • Beauty
  • Lifestyle
  • Career
  • Bridal
  • Podcasts
  • Beyond Beauty
  • Video
MAFS' Aleks and Ivan exchange wedding vows
Watch 4:43

MAFS' Aleks and Ivan exchange wedding vows

{headline}

{headline}

MAFS Reactions: We All Agree That Intimacy Week Is Super Awkward, Right?

MAFS Reactions: We All Agree That Intimacy Week Is Super Awkward, Right?

The Best Reactions To Meghan Markle And Prince Harry's Groundbreaking Oprah Interview

The Best Reactions To Meghan Markle And Prince Harry's Groundbreaking Oprah Interview

The Biggest Revelations From Meghan And Harry's Oprah Interview

The Biggest Revelations From Meghan And Harry's Oprah Interview

Celebrities Are Rallying Around And Publicly Defending Meghan Markle Following Bullying Allegations

Celebrities Are Rallying Around And Publicly Defending Meghan Markle Following Bullying Allegations

{headline}

{headline}

Meghan Markle's Oprah Interview Outfit Is Sparking Comparisons To Wallis Simpson

Meghan Markle's Oprah Interview Outfit Is Sparking Comparisons To Wallis Simpson

Meghan Markle Said The Palace Had Concerns About Archie's Skin Colour

Meghan Markle Said The Palace Had Concerns About Archie's Skin Colour

Meghan Markle And Prince Harry Announce They're Having A Baby Girl

Meghan Markle And Prince Harry Announce They're Having A Baby Girl

{headline}

{headline}

Best-Selling Book ‘Detransition, Baby’ Is Officially Getting The TV Treatment

Best-Selling Book ‘Detransition, Baby’ Is Officially Getting The TV Treatment

The Final Book In The 'Fifty Shades' Spinoff Series Officially Has A Release Date

The Final Book In The 'Fifty Shades' Spinoff Series Officially Has A Release Date

Samantha Armytage Announces That She's Leaving 'Sunrise' In Search Of 'Peace And Quiet'

Samantha Armytage Announces That She's Leaving 'Sunrise' In Search Of 'Peace And Quiet'

Turns Out 'MAFS' Belinda Had A 73-Year-Old Boyfriend Before Our Sweet Patrick, And Here’s The Proof

Turns Out 'MAFS' Belinda Had A 73-Year-Old Boyfriend Before Our Sweet Patrick, And Here’s The Proof

Connie Crayden Sets The Record Straight On Her Past With Bryce From 'Married At First Sight'

Connie Crayden Sets The Record Straight On Her Past With Bryce From 'Married At First Sight'

12 Times The Royal Family Seemingly Used Fashion To Convey A Hidden Message

12 Times The Royal Family Seemingly Used Fashion To Convey A Hidden Message

Six Prominent Prominent Australians On What Fuels Them In The Fight For The Future

What Women Want

  1. Home
  2. Celebrity

Priyanka Chopra Jonas Reveals How Past Racist Bullying 'Stripped Her Confidence' And Made Her 'Insecure'

"Don't look at me, I just want to be invisible" - by Diandra Malivindi
  • 22 Jan 2021
Priyanka Chopra Jonas Reveals How Past Racist Bullying 'Stripped Her Confidence' And Made Her 'Insecure'

With a successful acting, modelling and pageantry career under her belt, some may think that Priyanka Chopra Jonas' life has been easy.

Despite being a pioneer for South Asian women around the world—and in the film industry—Chopra Jonas' time in the U.S. hasn't been without hardships, particularly when it came to facing racial discrimination due to her cultural background.

In a recent interview with PEOPLE, the 38-year-old actress discussed her upcoming memoir Unfinished, where she opens up about her childhood, and more specifically, the racist bullying she endured during her early life in the United States.

Recalling the discrimination she faced in a Massachusetts high school when she was 15-years-old, Chopra Jonas opened up about the extensive bullying she endured that was so damaging, it lead her to eventually move back to India to finish her schooling.

"I took it very personally. Deep inside, it starts gnawing at you," she told People. "I went into a shell. I was like, 'Don't look at me. I just want to be invisible.' My confidence was stripped. I've always considered myself a confident person, but I was very unsure of where I stood, of who I was."

priyankachopra View Profile
View Post on Instagram

In excerpts of her book, Chopra Jonas recalled the sickening insults thrown her way by her classmates, such as: "Brownie, go back to your country" and "Go back on the elephant you came on."

Speaking out about the verbal abuse, Chopra Jonas admitted that she doesn't blame the city of Massachusetts, saying: "I don't even blame the city, honestly. I just think it was girls who, at that age, just want to say something that'll hurt," she said.

"Now, at the other side of 35, I can say that it probably comes from a place of them being insecure. But at that time, I took it very personally." 

Looking back at her decision to move back to India to finish her secondary schooling, Chopra Jonas admits that it was for the best, admitting: "I was so blessed that when I went back to India, I was surrounded by so much love and admiration for who I was. Going back to India healed me after that experience in high school,' she noted.

"In America, I was trying not to be different. Right? I was trying to fit in and I wanted to be invisible. When I went to India, I chose to be different."

Subscribe & receive a gift from Go-To Skincare-

Subscribe to marie claire

Subscribe Now
Subscribe & receive a gift from Go-To Skincare

Subscribe & receive a gift from Go-To Skincare-

Subscribe to marie claire

Subscribe Now
Subscribe & receive a gift from Go-To Skincare

Recommended to you

MAFS' Aleks and Ivan exchange wedding vows
Watch 4:43

MAFS' Aleks and Ivan exchange wedding vows

{headline}

{headline}

MAFS Reactions: We All Agree That Intimacy Week Is Super Awkward, Right?

MAFS Reactions: We All Agree That Intimacy Week Is Super Awkward, Right?

The Best Reactions To Meghan Markle And Prince Harry's Groundbreaking Oprah Interview

The Best Reactions To Meghan Markle And Prince Harry's Groundbreaking Oprah Interview

The Biggest Revelations From Meghan And Harry's Oprah Interview

The Biggest Revelations From Meghan And Harry's Oprah Interview

Celebrities Are Rallying Around And Publicly Defending Meghan Markle Following Bullying Allegations

Celebrities Are Rallying Around And Publicly Defending Meghan Markle Following Bullying Allegations

{headline}

{headline}

Meghan Markle's Oprah Interview Outfit Is Sparking Comparisons To Wallis Simpson

Meghan Markle's Oprah Interview Outfit Is Sparking Comparisons To Wallis Simpson

Meghan Markle Said The Palace Had Concerns About Archie's Skin Colour

Meghan Markle Said The Palace Had Concerns About Archie's Skin Colour

Meghan Markle And Prince Harry Announce They're Having A Baby Girl

Meghan Markle And Prince Harry Announce They're Having A Baby Girl

{headline}

{headline}

Best-Selling Book ‘Detransition, Baby’ Is Officially Getting The TV Treatment

Best-Selling Book ‘Detransition, Baby’ Is Officially Getting The TV Treatment

The Final Book In The 'Fifty Shades' Spinoff Series Officially Has A Release Date

The Final Book In The 'Fifty Shades' Spinoff Series Officially Has A Release Date

Samantha Armytage Announces That She's Leaving 'Sunrise' In Search Of 'Peace And Quiet'

Samantha Armytage Announces That She's Leaving 'Sunrise' In Search Of 'Peace And Quiet'

Turns Out 'MAFS' Belinda Had A 73-Year-Old Boyfriend Before Our Sweet Patrick, And Here’s The Proof

Turns Out 'MAFS' Belinda Had A 73-Year-Old Boyfriend Before Our Sweet Patrick, And Here’s The Proof

Connie Crayden Sets The Record Straight On Her Past With Bryce From 'Married At First Sight'

Connie Crayden Sets The Record Straight On Her Past With Bryce From 'Married At First Sight'

12 Times The Royal Family Seemingly Used Fashion To Convey A Hidden Message

12 Times The Royal Family Seemingly Used Fashion To Convey A Hidden Message

Six Prominent Prominent Australians On What Fuels Them In The Fight For The Future

What Women Want

MarieClaire
  • About Us
  • Subscribe Today
  • Contact Us
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Subscribe Today
  • Contact Us
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy

Brands

  • Beauty Crew
  • Home Beautiful
  • Who

Our Network

  • Better Homes and Gardens
  • BHG Shop
  • New Idea food
  • New Idea
  • Girlfriend
  • That’s Life
  • Practical Parenting
  • All Recipes
  • Perth Now
  • The West Australian
  • 7Plus
  • Airtasker
  • 7NEWS
  • SocietyOne
  • Health Engine
  • Starts at 60
© 2021 Are Media PTY LTD
Get more from Marie Claire

Magazine Subscription Offer

Subscribe & receive a gift from Go-To Skincare-

Shop This Offer
Subscribe & receive a gift from Go-To Skincare