Priyanka Chopra Jonas was racist bully as a teenager in Newton

Bollywood actress and star Priyanka Chopra Jonas (“Quantico”) has landed roles in American TV shows and films and built a life with her husband, musician Nick Jonas.

But according to an interview with People Linked to the release of her upcoming memoir, “Unfinished,” Chopra Jonas “broke with America” ​​as a teenager and returned to India due to racist mockery from her classmates in Newton.

Chopra Jonas’ teenage years were a whirlwind: after growing up in India, the “Baywatch” star and former Miss World spent high school in four different US cities, including a year in Newton. The city was a suitable landing place, given its remarkably high number of residents who have enjoyed showbiz success, including John Krasinski, BJ Novak, Matt LeBlanc, Julie Taymor, Louis CK, Anne Dudek, Eli Roth, James Remar, Joe Rogan, Alex Karpovsky and even the late Bette Davis and Jack Lemmon.

But according to Chopra Jonas, his classmates hurled racist slurs at him like “brownie, go back to your country!” and “return to the elephant you came on”, which led her to return to India after a year in Newton.

“I took it very personally. Deep inside you, it’s starting to eat away at you, ”said Chopra Jonas. People. “I entered a shell. I was like, ‘Don’t look at me. I just want to be invisible. My confidence has been stripped. I have always considered myself a confident person, but I was not sure where I was, who I was.

Chopra Jonas said People that she sought refuge with a group of close friends and sought help from a guidance counselor, but the bullying continued.

“I don’t even blame the city, honestly. I just think it’s the girls who at this age just want to say something that’s going to hurt, ”said Chopra Jonas People. “Now, on the other side of 35, I can tell that it’s probably coming from a place where they’re not safe. But at that point, I took it very personally.

“Unfinished” is expected in stores on February 9.

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