Not Skinny But Not Fat

Episode: “Priyanka Chopra Jonas Never Thought She’d Be an Actress”

Host: Amanda Hirsch
Guest: Priyanka Chopra Jonas
Release Date: March 10, 2026

Episode Overview

In this lively and heartfelt episode, Amanda Hirsch sits down with global icon Priyanka Chopra Jonas to discuss her new pirate action film, "The Bluff". The conversation traverses Priyanka’s journey from her days as Miss World and Bollywood stardom to conquering Hollywood, producing her own hits, navigating motherhood, and balancing public life with privacy. Priyanka opens up about career pivots, protecting her daughter, the realities of a working mom, and her true partnership with Nick Jonas, all delivered with her signature candor and wit.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Making of "The Bluff" & Pirate Power

• Character & Film Background: Priyanka plays "Bloody Mary", a fierce ex-pirate protecting her family.
  • [07:54] Priyanka: “She’s like this really tough, gory, not afraid of anything, pirate woman. I was just having too much fun with the pirates.”
• Action Training & Technicality: She dives into the technical aspects of filming action scenes.
  • [09:01] “People don’t realize how technical stunts are, how much precision it actually requires… Everyone has to know their distance, their exact marks, because if you don’t fall on your exact marks, someone could get hurt.” — Priyanka
• Practical Filmmaking: Most sets and effects were practical, with minimal VFX to remain authentic to the 1900s setting.

2. Balancing Motherhood & Stardom

• Family on Set: Priyanka’s daughter, Malti, was present during filming, even playing with fake movie blood on set.
  • [11:01] “[Malti] looked at me and she paused… so I took her in the hair and makeup trailer and we explained—it was just make believe. She put some blood on me and painted it on me and then it was totally fine.” — Priyanka
• Public Parenting: The evolving decision to share or shield Malti’s identity on social media and the realities of keeping her safe from paparazzi and the public.
  • [14:46] “She was followed from school, home—by a paparazzo or by a normal, normal person recording her.” — Priyanka
  • Priyanka affirms: “I chose a public life... but when it comes to children, that’s terrain we are all learning.”

3. Private vs. Public Life

• Navigating Fame: Priyanka maintains a pragmatic but boundary-conscious approach to fame, acknowledging a lack of privacy globally but also the ability to “find privacy” when needed.
  • [20:19] “We don’t have privacy anywhere. And it’s okay. It’s the nature of the beast. But when I want to find privacy, you can find it too.”
• Promoting Authenticity: She deglamorizes Hollywood by emphasizing hard work and the team effort on set.
  • [37:30] “I’m a major believer that when you go onto a film set... we stand on the shoulders of 150-200 people... Everyone brings their own expertise.”

4. Career Journey & Evolution

• Pageant Days & Bollywood Entry: Her entry to Miss World was a surprise, sparked by her mother submitting photos to the Miss India pageant.
  • [28:00] “My mom... sent in [my] mall shots to the pageant without telling me. I happened to get picked. I’m competitive... now I’m here, I’m going to win.” — Priyanka
• Becoming an Actress: Acting wasn’t an original dream; after winning Miss World, a film career felt like “the normal progression” in India.
  • [30:28] “My parents were doctors... I didn’t think normal people became actors.”
• Hollywood Ambitions: Priyanka saw a lack of South Asian representation and was motivated by a desire to “see what else was out there.”
  • [34:09] “I started feeling limited... I hadn’t really seen someone like me in American pop culture.”
• Career Setbacks & Pivoting: On navigating tough periods in Bollywood, she highlights resilience and the ability to “pivot.”
  • [35:25] “We have the ability to pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, take a minute to grieve…and then pivot.”
• On Humility: She had no issue starting over in Hollywood even after immense fame in India.
  • [39:23] “Just because I’m famous or have a body of work in one country doesn’t mean it necessarily needs to translate... That’s not humility, there’s like 7 billion people in this world. What are we talking about?”

5. Producing & Creative Control

• Producing "The Bluff": Priyanka details her producer responsibilities and her production company’s mission to elevate new voices.
  • [41:15] “My company was built on wanting to be the shoulders for newer filmmakers... to magnify their stories.”
  • Worked collaboratively on script, casting, and ensuring smooth production.

6. Family Life & Partnership with Nick Jonas

• Partnership: The couple’s dynamic is highlighted through anecdotes.
  • [52:05] “He’s my husband, and we’re both very conscientious of each other... We have each other’s backs. He’s great about that.”
  • Nick Jonas even helped write her jokes for his family’s roast.
    • [58:43] “Nick wrote most of it for me… That’s what a partnership looks like.”
• Allowing Vulnerability with a Spouse:
  • [53:59] “I love being babied by my guy... I want to be a child... but in front of my husband, like, I literally can’t do anything.”

7. Personal Philosophy & Manifestation

• Parenting: Staying intentional with routines, exposure to culture (travel, Hindi), and screen time.
• Presence over Hustle: Priyanka's focus for 2026 is to work intentionally and “be present.”
  • [61:33] “I really want to manifest being able to actually be present… We romanticize the fact that if we don’t work so hard, we don’t deserve it.”

Notable Quotes by Timestamp

• On Action and Stunts:
  • [09:01] “People don’t realize how technical stunts are; how much precision it actually requires… Everyone has to know their distance…” — Priyanka
• On Privacy & Public Life:
  • [20:19] “We don’t have privacy anywhere. And it’s okay. It’s the nature of the beast.” — Priyanka
• On Humility and Starting Over:
  • [39:23] “Just because I’m famous…in one country doesn’t mean it necessarily needs to translate… That’s not humility, there’s like 7 billion people in this world.” — Priyanka
• On Partnership:
  • [52:05] “He’s my husband, and...we have each other’s backs. He’s great about that.” — Priyanka
  • [58:43] “Nick wrote most of it for me... That’s what a partnership looks like.” — Priyanka
• On Parenting Philosophy:
  • [18:40] “It’s not easy being a working mom… as much as I can, I'm trying to not create that dependence [on screens].”
  • [61:33] “I really want to manifest being able to actually be present... and work intentionally, but take time to breathe.” — Priyanka

Highlighted Memorable Moments

• Priyanka’s daughter painting her with movie blood backstage while learning about acting as “make believe.”
• The viral media moment of Nick Jonas carefully fixing Priyanka’s dress on the red carpet.
  • [52:00] Amanda: “Find yourself a guy who will do that. Girls, don’t settle.”
  • Priyanka: “He’s wonderful like that.”
• Priyanka’s playful admission of loving to be babied in her marriage, despite her strong, independent public persona.
  • [53:59] “I love being babied by my guy… I want to be a child.”
• Priyanka gives a shoutout to real female pirates, and the importance of “erased” history.
  • [63:25-63:47] “We have erased the story of female pirates… so it’s really cool to be telling her story.”

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [07:14] – Priyanka joins, discussion about hair, character, and pirate style
• [09:01] – Action scenes & technical film talk
• [10:36] – On set in Australia, family routines
• [11:33] – Parenting: daughter on set, family balance, privacy decisions
• [14:25] – Security concerns, privacy, impact of fame on kids
• [20:17] – Fame across continents, privacy debates, media culture
• [27:12] – Early life, pageants, entering Bollywood
• [30:10] – Transition to acting, early movie career
• [34:09] – Decision to break into Hollywood
• [41:15] – Producing, creative leadership, and inclusive filmmaking
• [52:00] – Relationship highlights with Nick Jonas
• [57:04] – Marriage timeline, certainty, and family stories
• [63:15] – The importance of telling real women’s stories in "The Bluff"

Closing Thoughts

Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Amanda Hirsch deliver an honest, dynamic, and warm conversation that goes far beyond Hollywood sparkle. The episode blends deep career insight, parenting realities, partnership, and purposeful living, making it both inspiring and relatable—equal parts celebrity chat and personal growth podcast.

“The Bluff” is streaming on Prime Video and features Priyanka as a pirate mama like no other. As Priyanka says:
“Women fucking rock.”