♪♪♪ >> Stephen: HEY, EVERYBODY!
WELCOME BACK TO "A LATE SHOW."
SHE IS AN ACTRESS, PHILANTHROPIST, AND FORMER MISS
WORLD.
SHE NOW STARS IN, AND EXECUTIVE PRODUCES, THE NEW FILM "THE
WHITE TIGER."
PLEASE WELCOME PRIYANKA CHOPRA JONAS!
PRIYANKA, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME.
I HAVEN'T SEEN YOU SINCE 2017, I THINK.
>> Stephen: IT'S BEEN TOO LONG.
CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, I THINK YOU MAY BE WINNING THE BEST ZOOM
BACKGROUND SO FAR TO OF THE PANDEMIC.
THAT IS BEAUTIFUL STAGING YOU'VE GOT THERE.
>> LET ME TELL YOU, I COMMITTED TO THE ZOOM THING A LOT EARLIER
THAN MOST PEOPLE.
EVERYONE'S WAITING FOR, YOU KNOW, US ZOOMING TO BE OVER.
WHEN ARE WE GOING BACK TO OFFICES.
THAT'S NOT HAPPENING FOR A WHILE.
SO I COMMITTED, AND I BOUGHT AMAZON LITE, AND I FOUND AN AREA
IN MY HOUSE AND SET IT UP, OR A FRIEND OF MINE TID.
>> Stephen: THE LAST TIME WE WERE TOGETHER YOU WERE PRIYANKA
CHOPRA, NOW YOU'RE PRIYANKA CHOPRA JONAS.
FIRST OF ALL, CONGRATULATIONS TO NICK JONAS.
>> RIGHT?
>> Stephen: COME ON.
DUH.
>> Stephen: HOW IS PANDEMIC MARRIAGE?
>> UM, IT'S GREAT BECAUSE WE STILL LIKE EACH OTHER.
>> Stephen: THAT'S ALWAYS GOOD.
THAT'S ALWAYS GOOD.
>> THOUGHTS IMPORTANT.
ALSO, I DON'T THINK WE BOTH HAVE HAD SUCH INDIVIDUAL CAREERS THAT
I DON'T THINK WE WOULD HAVE HAD SIX MONTHS WITH EACH OTHER EVER,
SO THAT'S REALLY A BLESSING, AND I WAS REALLY HAPPY TO BE ABLE TO
HAVE THAT TIME WITH EACH OTHER.
>> Stephen: DID YOU WATCH THE INAUGURATION OF THE NEW
PRESIDENT?
>> YES, I DID.
>> Stephen: OKAY.
AS A SOUTH ASIAN WOMAN YOURSELF, WHAT DID IT MEAN TO YOU TO SEE
THE NEW VICE PRESIDENT TO BE THE FIRST FEMALE, FIRST SOUTH ASIAN,
FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN VICE PRESIDENT?
>> A COUPLE OF THINGS.
IT WAS SUCH AN EMOTIONAL MOMENT FOR A LOT OF MY FRIENDS AND
FAMILY, BUT COMING FROM A COUNTRY LIKE INDIA WHICH HAS
SEEN SEVERAL WOMEN IN GOVERNANCE FROM PRIME MINISTERS TO
PRESIDENTS, WELCOME TO THE CLUB, AMERICA, IS WHAT I WAS SAYING.
YOU KNOW, HIGH TIME, AND I HOPE THIS IS NOT THE FIRST.
I HOPE THIS IS MANY, MANY BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT GOVERNANCE
SHOULD LOOK LIKE, AND LEADERSHIP LOOKS AMAZING ESPECIALLY WHEN
IT'S DIVERSE AND REFLECTIVE OF WHAT THE WORLD REALLY LOOKS
LIKE.
>> Stephen: YOU RECENTLY POSTED SOMETHING THAT I WOULD
LIKE TO SHOW OUR AUDIENCE RIGHT NOW.
THIS IS -- I GUESS YOU'RE 17 YEARS OLD IN THIS PHOTO, AND
HERE YOU HAVE IT -- LEAN, MEAN AND ALL OF 17.
AND THIS WAS BEFORE YOU WERE MISS WORLD, BEFORE YOU WERE MISS
INDIA.
>> UH-HUH.
>> Stephen: WHAT WAS YOUR PLAN?
AT THAT AGE, WHAT TID YOU THINK YOU WERE GOING TO DO?
>> WELL, I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL.
THIS WAS 12th GRADE AND, YOU KNOW, I WAS KIND OF FEELING
MYSELF.
IT WAS ALL ABOUT MAKING SURE I GET THROUGH MY EXAMS, WHICH AT
THAT TIME WERE REALLY DAUNTING FOR ME.
AND, YOU KNOW, I HAD JUST BEEN SELECTED FOR MISS INDIA, AND I
THINK I WAS JUST, LIKE, REALLY FIGURING OUT WHAT MY MODEL SELF
LOOKED LIKE.
AND RIGHT NOW, LOOKING BACK, I'M, LIKE, WHERE DID THESE
CURVES COME FROM?
I USED TO BE REALLY LEAN.
( LAUGHTER ) >> Stephen: I HAVE A QUESTION.
WHEN I FIRST INTERVIEWED YOU, YOU WERE ALREADY HUGE IN INDIA,
AND YOU WERE COMING OVER TO DO YOUR FIRST TELEVISION SHOW IN
THE UNITED STATES.
WHEN YOU FIRST CAME OVER TO THE UNITED STATES -- I KNOW THIS IS
LIKE A TINY, PETTY AND UNIMPORTANT QUESTION, BUT I'M
CURIOUS -- CHINESE PEOPLE WHO COME TO THE UNITED STATES SEE
CHINESE FOOD AND GO, THAT'S NOT CHINESE FOOD.
ITALIAN PEOPLE COME HERE AND SAY, THAT'S NOT ITALIAN FOOD.
IS INDIAN FOOD YOU GET IN THE UNITED STATES ACTUALLY INDIAN
FOOD OR IS IT AN AMERICANIZED VERSION OF IT?
>> NO, IF YOU GO TO THE RIGHT PLACE -- THERE'S SUCH A LARGE
AMERICAN-INDIAN COMMUNITY IN AMERICA THAT I HAVE BEEN IN
RESTAURANTS THAT ARE SUPER AUTHENTIC.
I'VE DEFINITELY HAD FOOD WHICH IS SUPER AUTHENTIC, BUT JUST
BECAUSE I THINK IT LENDS TO SUCH A LARGE COMMUNITY HERE.
BUT IF YOU COME TO INDIA, WE FLAVORRIZE EVERY CUISINE WITH
SPICES AND INDIAN FOOD.
THERE'S INDIAN CHINESE, INDIAN ITALIAN, INDIAN EVERYTHING.
>> Stephen: THE NEW MOVIE IS "THE WHITE TIGER," BASED ON AN
2008 NOVEL, AND IT WON THE MAN BOOKER PRIZE.
YOU'VE EXECUTIVE PRODUCED THE MOVIE.
WHAT IS IT ABOUT AND WHO DO YOU PLAY?
>> WELL, THE MOVIE IS ACTUALLY REALLY INTERESTING.
THE BOOK IS BASED PREDOMINANTLY ON AN AMBITIOUS MAN WHO WANTS TO
DEFY WHAT HIS BIRTH HAS, YOU KNOW, DESTINED FOR HIM.
PEOPLE'S BIRTHRIGHT -- HE'S BORN IN THIS VORTEX OF POVERTY AND
THE SOCIOECONOMIC DIVIDE THAT IS EVER INCREASING, THIS IS SORT OF
A MAN TRYING TO CLAW HIS WAY OUT.
IT'S A STORY ABOUT AMBITION.
IT'S TOLD VERY SARCASTICALLY.
IT'S FUNNY.
MY CHARACTER IS -- HE BECOMES A DRIVER, AND MY CHARACTER IS THE
PEOPLE WHO HE WORKS FOR, AND I PLAY AN AMERICAN GIRL WHO COMES
IN AND IS WOKE AND, YOU KNOW, TRIES TO SORT OF RELATE TO HIM
AND TELLS HIM, YOU KNOW, YOU SHOULD GET OUT OF THE
CIRCUMSTANCES THAT YOU'RE IN.
I PULLED MYSELF OUT OF IT, NOT REALIZING THE COMPLEXITIES OF
BEING BORN INTO POVERTY.
AND HER GRAY HAIRSELF, WHEN IT'S CONVENIENT, SHE'S NOT AS WOKE.
SO I LOVE THIS MOVIE HAS A NARRATIVE ABOUT HUMAN NATURE
WHICH, WHEN IT'S CONVENIENT, WE ALWAYS BAT FOR OURSELVES.
THAT'S A CROOKED REFERENCE.
>> Stephen: WE BAT OVER HERE, TOO.
>> GREAT.
>> Stephen: WE HAVE A CLIP.
CAN YOU TELL US WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THIS?
>> YES, THE CLIP YOU'RE GOING TO SEE IS ME AND OUR DRIVER HAVING
A CONVERSATION AND ME TELLING HIM TO PULL HIMSELF OUT OF HIS
CIRCUMSTANCES.
>> Stephen: JIM.
COME HERE.
MADAM.
SIT DOWN.
I THINK IT'S WRONG THE WAY YOU WORK FOR US.
YOU SHOULD BE FINISHING YOUR EDUCATION, STARTING YOUR OWN
FAMILY.
>> YOU ARE FAMILY TO ME, MADAM.
DON'T SAY THAT, THAT'S NOT TRUE.
YOU CAN'T POSSIBLY BELIEVE THAT.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT MY PARENTS DO IN AMERICA?
THEY RUN A ( BLEEP ) BOTAIGA I JACKSON HEIGHTS SELLING BEER AND
PORN.
I USED TO DO MY HOMEWORK IN THE BASEMENT AND ONE NIGHT I SAW MY
MOM HELD AT GUNPOINT AND SHE STILL FINISHED WORKING HER SHIFT
FOR THE NIGHT.
I GOT OUT.
WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO.
>> Stephen: I UNDERSTAND THE DIRECTOR HAD A STYLE OF
DIRECTING YOU WEREN'T USED TO.
I'D LOVE YOU TO TELL THE STORY BECAUSE, AS SOMEONE WHO'S DONE
SOME ACTING, I WOULD FIND THIS DISORIENTING AS WELL.
GO AHEAD.
>> RIGHT.
ALSO.
IT WAS SO FUNNY.
THE LEAD ACTOR OF OUR MOVIE SAID IT WAS SO LIBERATING AS AN ACTOR
NOT TO HAVE A DIRECTOR SAY "ACTION."
>> Stephen: HE DOESN'T YELL ACTION.
>> RAMIN DOESN'T SAY ACTION OR CUT.
HE SAYS, WHENEVER YOU'RE READY.
AND THE CAMERA ROLLS AND WHENEVER YOU'RE READY, YOU START
ACTING.
PHO ARDESH, HE LOVED IT.
HE SAID I DIDN'T FEEL LIKE A ROBOT.
ME WHO'S USED TO GOING ON ACTION, IT'S LIKE READY, SET,
GO, YOU KNOW WHEN TO START.
I'M READY FOR ACTION, THE CAMERA IS MIND ME.
FIRST DAY, NO ACTION, I TURN AROUND, AND HE SAID, YOU JUST
GO.
I WAS SO THROWN OFF, AND THEN HE DOESN'T SAY CUT.
SO I'M USED TO KEEP THE SCENE GOING IMPROV TILL THE DIRECTOR
SAYS CUT, AND HE DOESN'T.
SO HE STANDS NEXT TO US AND STARTS GIVING YOU INSTRUCTIONS
AND I'M, LIKE, OH, I GUESS WE CUT.
>> Stephen: THAT WOULD MAKE ME EXTRAORDINARILY NERVOUS.
>> I WAS SO NERVOUS THE WHOLE TIME, I WAS, LIKE, WHEN IS THE
CAMERA ON?
>> Stephen: >> Stephen: "THE WHITE TIGER"
IS IN SELECT THEATERS NOW AND PREMIERES ON
NETFLIX THIS FRIDAY.
PRIYANKA CHOPRA JONAS, EVERYBODY!
WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK WITH THE CREATORS OF "IN AND OF ITSELF,"
DEREK DELGAUDIO AND FRANK OZ.
♪♪♪