I Was Never Forced to Take Nick’s Last Name- Priyanka Chopra

In a recent interview with Barstool Sports’ Chicks in the Office podcast, Indian actress and singer Priyanka Chopra opened up on her decision to add her husband’s surname to her name.

According to her, she wanted to honour her parent’s tradition while staying true to her identity.

The Quantico star who married singer Nick Jonas in December 2018 said about seeing her full name on the cover of her new memoir Unfinished: “The first time I saw it, I was like, ‘Oh, oh ok, that’s my name now.”

She went on to explain: “I wanted to sort of honor traditions, but at the same time, I didn’t want to let go of my identity.”

“And this was my in-between, I guess. I inherited a beautiful name and I hope to live up to its legacy.”

Priyanka Chopra continued: “I think it was one of those things that you’ve grown up with, and a part of me hopes that we are a world 50 years later where, you know, the conversation is different, where girls don’t think about being raised or think about that. I was never forced into it, it’s just something I wanted to do because that’s how I grew up.”

She also said she hopes that women keeping their own last names or even men taking their brides’ surnames will “be normalized” in another 50 years.

“I kind of wanted to honor my parents’ tradition and that’s just how it happened. My identity has been mine for so many years that there was no way that my last name would have been lost,” she added.

The couple brought together 225 of their friends and family for a five day wedding event in Jodhpur and New Delhi in India in 2018.

Before their wedding, the UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and Nick held a colorful Mehendi ceremony where they both had elaborate henna designs applied to their hands, and celebrated with a Sangeet an over-the-top party with performances in honor of the couple.