Priyanka Chopra Attends Her First Met Gala And Shares A Powerful Message For Women

As an international actress, Quantico star Priyanka Chopra has never shied away from sharing her views on everything from politics to the issues facing women from Hollywood to her hometown of Jamshedpur, Bihar in India. As the actress attended this year’s Met Gala, an event Chopra had previously not attended in years past, she spoke about her thoughts on working as an actress and how feminist issues relates to her in her own career. Priyanka also spoke on a less heavy topic, sharing how she prepared for her first Met Gala.

Quantico Star Priyanka Chopra Calls for Women to Access Their “Incredible Endurance and Incredible Strength”

Priyanka Chopra is continuing her struggle to break Indian stereotypes in western film and television. Bustle reports that she’s refusing to accept roles that would cast her as the “the exotic, beautiful girl, or the “academically inclined nerd,” no matter how promising the film. Changing the public’s attitudes through film and television is important to Priyanka, whether she’s tackling racial problems or gender relations.

While it’s clear Priyanka, who earned the nickname Piggy Chops in 2005’s Bluffmaster, is concentrating her efforts on changing the way the world views the people of India, the Quantico star is also striving to make the world a better place for women.

“We’re told we’re too provocative or that being sexy is our strength, which it can be, and it is, but that’s not the only thing we have,” says Ms. Chopra.

“It’ll be scary. There will be strife. But women have incredible endurance and incredible strength. Your ability to deal with it is within you.”

Part of changing the perceptions of the public is steering clear of words that reinforce limited views. One word that has come up often in Chopra’s American acting career is “exotic” and the actress does everything she can to discourage the use of that word in relation to promoting her work.

Priyanka says the word “exotic” is very limiting, because it conjures up images of “snake charmers and face jewelry,” which leads to proving the stereotype. She wants to create a new vision for India, one in which the world disregards popular stereotypes and begins to see the people of India as a diverse and worthwhile populace.

While the Quantico actress seeks to distance herself from those stereotypes, she adds that she no longer gets offended.

“I used to get offended by things that were said to me, or how I was seen,” says Quantico’s Priyanka Chopra. “Now I educate.”

Priyanka Chopra Trailed a 10-Foot Train at the 2017 Met Gala

There’s no denying that Priyanka Chopra knows how to make an entrance. As Refinery 29 shares, the Quantico actress made a lasting impression with her arrival at the Met Gala, stunning onlookers with Ralph Lauren on her arm and his latest creation trailing 10 feet behind.

Priyanka donned a new invention from the fashion designer that resembled the standard beige trench coat of detective movies and angels named Castiel. The outfit differed from the standard trench coat in that it trailed 10 feet behind the Quantico actress, requiring a team to carry it, as she made her way along the red carpet.

While the design was certain to gain ample attention for both Ms. Chopra and Ralph Lauren, the commotion didn’t last long. Ms. Chopra revealed that the train is detachable, leaving behind a short-hemmed dress. Once she had separated herself from the train, Priyanka exposed her long legs and a pair of high-heeled black leather boots.

“Priyanka’s dress was designed intentionally to have a detachable train for her entrance to the Met Gala,” stylist Cristina Ehrlich said of the dress. “She only wore the train to enter. It was attached with buttons with a mini-dress underneath.”

Quantico returns on Monday, May 8 on ABC.

[Featured Image by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images]