Priyanka Chopra took part in Vogue Magazine’s “lockdown issue” which was mostly just actors, celebrities and artists doing their own photos and talking about how they’ve spent their coronavirus lockdown. I had been wondering about Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas a lot, actually. While Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner were doing tons of interviews via video conference, Nick and Pri have been relatively quiet. So quiet that some people think Priyanka is quietly gestating in lockdown. She doesn’t say anything about that in this Vogue piece, but she did talk about why she and Nick went into lockdown early:
She was an early corona-awareness person: “I got early information [about COVID-19] at the World Economic Forum in January. I attended with Global Citizen, and as the outbreak began in China, I remember there was a conversation about it. I work with the World Health Organization a lot and I’m the daughter of a physician, so I spoke to my mom and understood the severity of what it was—and what it could be if it wasn’t handled soon.”
Responsible lockdown: “Nick and I made quick decisions about the most responsible things to do, and made sure our family was taken care of—we checked in on people, and explained what the coronavirus was. We were supposed to be in India for Holi, but we cut our trip short and came back to America because we were worried about borders being locked down. Nick is a Type 1 diabetic, so we felt it was important to go into quarantine almost immediately.
She’s grateful to be bored: “I’m so grateful we’re together at this time, and that we weren’t stuck in different parts of the world because we both travel so much. And I feel incredibly blessed to be dealing with boredom, and not a lack of food or water, or the loss of a loved one. I’ve been coping by making donations to where people need help, and using my platform to promote the people who are actually on the ground, doing the work. The one thing keeping me calm is constantly reminding myself how lucky we are.
Nick is teaching her piano: “I’ve also started the piano—I make my husband teach me. I’ve never played, but I’ve always wanted to learn an instrument, so I make him give me a half-hour or 45-minute lesson every day. He’s an in-house piano teacher, an in-house physical trainer, and an in-house writing partner—it’s good. I’ve taken a hip-hop dance class too, because I miss dancing! But I’ve also been working on my book a lot, and this time is going to help me finish it. This time is, fortunately and unfortunately, given me time to think about finishing that book.
If they waited long enough to the point where they were worried about the border being closed, they waited too long? Borders weren’t being closed until mid-March. If Priyanka had all of this knowledge about the virus back in January/February, they probably should have been locked down in early March at the latest? I mean, I’m not judging her too hard, because hell, I didn’t take it seriously until March 9-15 too, but she’s talking out of both sides of her mouth here. Anyway… I’m glad they’re safe.
Photos courtesy of Instagram, Backgrid.
Of all the celebrities who have said various things in quarantine hers came off quite well. They should pat themselves on the back for not being a PR nightmare.
I read a newspaper during the new year at my dad’s and learned about it. It said that it was spreading quickly and would be worse than any of the other viruses that globally spread. Also, it stated the economic impact of the world, including Usa… I wouldnot say it was early inside information she or I received. It’s more like not putting too much energy into Kardashians or IG influencers and reading instead…
Holi was March 10th, so if she cut her trip short, then she was socially isolating in early March.
I’m in WA state, in between Everett (the first man that had it) and Kirkland (the facility that was the first epicenter in the US). We were hearing rumblings in January and by mid February many people I knew were taking measures to prepare for this. It was a weird time where most of the US was dismissing concerns but scientists were heavily concerned. I’m glad she was thinking of their health and was being careful if he’s compromised.
Emily is right!! I was around there and it was ALL over.
I’m in Seattle, and after the first case I was on alert, starting to stock up on food and watching the news. It was so strange to see most people not caring about the virus, like watching a slow-motion car crash.
Yup. I’m also in WA state and we started stocking up and limiting trips out in mid February. The last time I stepped foot in a store, or anywhere for that matter was early March.
Yeah. The Washington Post was covering it back in December or early January. I remember thinking that it was a matter of time.
Most of what she said is really nice, and I’m glad she’s donating and happy to be with her husband, and that they took precautions for his health.
But it was certainly in the news in January, and the first documented US case was in January, so I don’t really get this “early information” thing, but whatever.
She comes of pretty well in that interview. Smart lady who did not put her foot in her mouth. I think she may have been thinking about closed borders way before the Orange menace and the innefective WH. When you are anxious (and better informed) about something, you tend to think of the worst case scenario before most, and Europe was closing borders a lot earlier than the US, which should have started a lot sooner (not the silly bans just to countries Drump does not like).
After reading the Red Dawn emails (look them up) I 100% percent believe that scientists all over the world were trying to tell people what was up in February and even January. Governments just didn’t want to hear.
Some did, a few countries have handled this incredibly well. The Trump admin pretty much put their hands over their ears and yelled “nah, nah, I can’t hear you.”
Nick and Priyanka having been doing a lot, but it has all been either work and charity based.
Nick was working on the Voice until recently. They donated to a bunch of charities both in the US and India at the of March. She helped produce a fundraiser in India. The three Jonas couples also have made at least two $500,000 joint donations as well to LA charities.
Well to be fair, anyone who was paying attention/ starting to prepare in January and February probably did feel they were operating in a vacuum. I know I did. The word pandemic did not seem to register. It wasn’t until Italy imploded, that people started focusing on the the WHO warnings. Remember “It’s just the flu”? Her statement that’s she is happy to be bored rather than losing loved ones is completely on point.
100% this. My area went from unaware to full blown panic over a weekend.
Exactly! In my daughter’s school there was a mom that stopped sending her kids to school from February. I thought it was excessive, even though there were articles about the virus everywhere! The information was out there but for some reason did not register like you said.
I stream a lot of Asian dramas (thanks Viki). In Dec. 2019 there was an article on the side view of the Viki site about how they were shutting down filming of one of the Asian dramas due to the coronavirus. Then I started seeing videos of people in China falling DEAD in the streets!! And China was building these makeshift hospitals and they also had mask vending machines.
http://chinaplus.cri.cn/recommended/1661/431707
Plus in mid-February, I happened to hear this little tidbit: “Ultimately, we will see community spread in this country,” Nancy Messonnier, the director of the CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases told reporters on a call. “It’s not a question of if but rather a question of when and how many people in this country will have severe illness.”
Dr. Nancy Messonnier is the sister to Rod Rosenstein former United States Deputy Attorney General & Trumpty Dumpty was livid about her statement and so she sorta disappeared for a while.
So I started my self-quarantine Jan 4, 2020. I have high BP and a heart condition, And with Trumpty Dumpty’s inaptitude, I knew America was in BIG danger. Remember what Whoopi’s character in “Ghost” tells Demi Moore’s character, “Molly, you in danger girl” .
So yeah, I can see Priyanka’s early knowledge of the virus and taking it seriously especially since her father is a doctor and hubby Nick is a diabetic.