Priyanka Chopra Eyes James Bond Film, But Her Love For Villains Suggests She May Have A Darker Role In Mind

Few actresses may be reveling in the new age of feminism like Priyanka Chopra, who has been using her acting roles to break down racial stereotypes while trying to build up opportunities for women in the international filmmaking industry. Quantico helped Priyanka to prove that there’s more to Indian women than the lowbrow stereotypes previously seen in American pop culture. Ms. Chopra built upon her Quantico successes by tackling the seductive yet deadly villain in the Baywatch reboot, and while the film may be floundering at box offices, audiences and critics are hailing Priyanka as the best thing about a bad reboot.

Baywatch Villain Priyanka Chopra Eyes James Bond

There was a time when Priyanka Chopra’s name was uncommon in American cinema circles, but that’s quickly changing with her growing list of Hollywood film roles. As Hamilton Spectator reports, the Baywatch actress is making good on her promise to divide up her time between Hollywood and filmmaking projects in her native country of India. While this disappoints some of Priyanka’s more ardent Bollywood fans, it’s certainly a welcome delight to her newer American fanbase.

So, what’s up next for Priyanka Chopra in America? The actress is currently working on the Silas Howard drama, A Kid Like Jake, but, beyond that, Ms. Chopra has her heart set on going to work for MI6.

Jumping at the vacancy (possibly) left by Daniel Craig, Priyanka gleefully throws her hat into the ring, hoping to be considered for the next James Bond film. The actress makes a point to explain that she has no interest in playing the typical Bond girl, but hopes to play the secret agent.

“I think I hope in my lifetime I get to see such iconic parts be played by women, you know in a genderless [way] – even if it’s not me,” Ms. Chopra told James Corden during a segment on The Late, Late Show. “That would be super cool.”

Priyanka admits that filming in England would put added strain on her international career, but feels the opportunity to play James Bond would be worth it. She says she already “works like mad” as an international actress with obligations in both Hollywood and Bollywood, but Chopra further explains that she works so hard because that’s her choice. It’s what she wants for her life.

“I like to win. I am not out there to prove anything,” says Priyanka. “I just want to leave a legacy of my work behind.”

Priyanka Chopra Reveals How She’s Different From Her Baywatch Villain

One of the main things Priyanka Chopra loves about playing Alex Parrish on ABC’s Quantico is that she gets to do most of her own stunts and enjoys getting down and dirty in the show’s action sequences. NBC News reports that Baywatch took some of that away from the actress, because the villain in the film was more of a mastermind than one to get her own hands dirty.

Ms. Chopra explains that Victoria Leeds, her Baywatch character, prefers to orchestrate her plans from afar. This wasn’t entirely unexpected. Priyanka says she worked with director Seth Gordon in creating the fashionable and extravagant nature of the Baywatch villain.

“Seth and I spoke before about what Victoria should be and my addition was that I wanted her to be extreme,” Chopra said. “She wears heels on the beach — who does that? — and a huge diamond on her pinky.”

In Baywatch, Victoria Leeds owns an exclusive club that sits right on the shore, but is devalued by neighboring businesses and residences. Leeds devises a drug smuggling plot to lower the value of those area properties, so she can buy them up and dominate the beach. It’s a sinister plot, which was what drew Priyanka Chopra to the role in the first place.

“It’s always fun thing to play a villain,” Ms. Chopra says, as she adds that she has played villains many times in her Bollywood career. “I always like to pick parts that are different, and that pushes me.”

Baywatch is currently showing in theaters.

[Featured Image by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images]