Priyanka Chopra Speaks Out About Her Role on ‘The Activist’ and What’s Happening to the CBS Show
Priyanka Chopra is a triple-threat entertainer: a singer, actor, and host who is also well-known for her high-profile marriage to Nick Jonas. Chopra is very vocal on behalf of causes that she believes in. Although there’s no doubt that she has drawn attention to worthwhile causes and ventures, Chopra has also caused controversy on several notable occasions. Most recently, she was involved with the infamous show The Activist, a series that is now on indefinite hold—and in a recent interview with Vanity Fair, the actor opened up about The Activist, and whether she thinks it will end up on television.
Priyanka Chopra Jonas has been involved in controversy in the past
Although Chopra is a popular actor, with thousands of fans around the world, she’s also received criticism. She’s known as a women’s rights activist and humanitarian, but some of her past actions and affiliations have caused fans to raise their eyebrows. Notably, Chopra once worked for an advertising campaign that promoted skin lightening creams in India. She’s also been a steadfast supporter of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is considered to be a very controversial figure in India.
In early 2019, the Quantico actor expressed support for India’s armed forces on social media. Coincidentally, the day she voiced her support was the same day that a suspected terrorist camp in Pakistan was air struck as retaliation for a suicide car bombing attack that had killed dozens of Indian troops. All of these incidents have led some critics to slam Chopra as a “performative activist.”
What did Priyanka Chopra say about ‘The Activist’ being ‘retooled’?
In late 2021, a new show called The Activist was announced. The reality show was designed to feature activists competing in real-time in a series of challenges that addressed various real-world topics. Chopra was attached to be in the series, along with other big celebrities such as Usher and Julianne Hough. The series was shut down not long after it was announced—and Chopra definitely has thoughts about the show.
In a recent interview with Vanity Fair, Chopra revealed that showrunners have gone back to the drawing board to “retool” the controversial series.
“I have no idea what they’re going to do with it yet,” she said. “I’ve been involved with Global Citizen for so many years, and I know the strides that they’ve made when it comes to global poverty and climate change. They’ve done incredible work. So, it’s really tragic when something like that happens because that is never the intention.” Chopra went on to explain, “It makes me sad because I try to live my life as a good person every day, doing the best I can, just like everyone else. And it would just be nice to be seen for that sometimes.”
What happened to cause ‘The Activist’ to get canceled?
While Chopra might think that the backlash surrounding The Activist is “tragic,” critics and fans are more divided. After the show was announced, many grassroots activists slammed the concept, claiming that glamorous celebrities were the wrong choice for a show that would supposedly be about activism from all walks of life. Some pointed out that the money spent on makeup and production costs for the celebrities would be better spent being donated to the causes themselves.
Some activists, according to Queen’s Journal, stated that the very premise of The Activist is offense, noting that “pushing for global change isn’t a competition.” After the backlash made headlines, the show was abruptly pulled from the TV lineup. According to NPR, showrunners are changing the format of the show to become a documentary, rather than a competition TV series. With no news about any premiere date, it seems as though viewers might be waiting a while to see what becomes of The Activist.
