Priyanka Chopra Doesn’t Mind Being Objectified: ‘It’s The Nature Of What I Do’

Priyanka Chopra has been more fortunate than some Hindu actresses in that her transition from Bollywood films to American television and Hollywood films has been successful and has given Priyanka a highly visible public profile. As Chopra continues to project her status as an international actress, the Quantico and Baywatch actress has only recently become exposed to the public as a sex symbol, finding herself named in a number of top 10 lists among various magazines. Now, as her popularity grows exponentially, Ms. Chopra talks about what that means to her and shares why she’s not offended to be objectified in the media.

Quantico Star Priyanka Chopra Embraces The Pros And Cons Of Being An Actress

Looking back to the original Baywatch series, Cosmopolitan points to the way in which that show’s fans elevated the stars up to sex symbol status for both the men (David Hasselhoff, to name one) and woman (Pamela Anderson). As the Baywatch feature film draws closer to its spring 2017 release, Priyanka Chopra was asked if she was aware of that aspect of the show and if she was prepared to be even more objectified as a sex symbol than she already has been in American society.

“Yes, being objectified is part of my job. I don’t get offended by being called a sex symbol, because I’m an actress and it’s the nature of what I do,” says Ms. Chopra. “But I don’t think being a sex symbol is something you want to aim for. Of course you want to be hot, but that’s not all you want to stand for.”

Certainly, Priyanka wants to look good on film and, working as the “ostentatious boss b—h on the beach” in Baywatch, part of that is keeping her hair manageable, which is something Chopra does remarkably well. The Baywatch actress says the set hairdressers had to work overtime to keep her hair blowing in the wind without letting it get frizzy, as Priyanka says it does naturally. In addition to using a special serum, Ms. Chopra reveals that she uses Pantene shampoo, followed by a conditioner, which she leaves in her hair for 10 minutes before rinsing.

Chopra adds that she tries to think ahead, so she can limit the amount of products she applies to her hair.

“With my job, I don’t have the time to deal with my hair all of the time, so it’s important to find the right products and not use too much of them,” says the Baywatch actress. “I think it’s really gross when you have too many things in your hair anyway and someone tries to touch it. Can you imagine your boyfriend trying to put his hands in your hair with a ton of product in it? How unromantic is that?!”

Pantene Convinces Priyanka Chopra To Move From Acting To Modeling

It’s no coincidence that Priyanka mentions Pantene by name. Los Angeles Times reports that Ms. Chopra has been signed to represent the shampoo in a new ad campaign, launching the Baywatch star’s new venture into modeling. Chopra will be just one of the women chosen to represent Pantene in their “Strong is Beautiful” ad campaign and, as the Procter & Gamble-owned company states, they’re choosing women who have proven themselves to be strong leaders and role models for women and girls.

“Priyanka is the embodiment of this spirit — she’s a strong, intelligent woman, who has built a global career for herself, and has chosen roles that exemplify fierce and powerful women,” says Jodi Allen, Procter & Gamble’s vice president of hair care for North America.

Ms. Chopra will join Selena Gomez in the “Strong is Beautiful” campaign with Pantene execs splitting the brand ambassador duties between the two celebrities. While Gomez will be featured in Pantene’s print ads and their in-store displays, Priyanka will have domain over the television promos.

“What I associate more [than beauty] with the brand is the brand’s philosophy, ‘strong is beautiful,'” said Chopra. “I’ve always been someone who thinks the best thing I’ve ever worn is my confidence, and strength is confidence.”

Baywatch, starring Priyanka Chopra, Alexandra Daddario, and Dwayne Johnson, will hit theaters on May 26, 2017.

[Featured Image by Mike Coppola/Getty Images]