LOS ANGELES — Actor Priyanka Chopra Jonas did not appreciate being called "someone Chopra" and "the Chopra wife" in comedian Rosie O'Donnell's public apology for making a false assumption about her name.
On Wednesday, Chopra Jonas responded via Instagram to O'Donnell's recent TikTok videos apologizing for wrongly assuming she was the daughter of author Deepak Chopra. In her initial statement on their "awkward" private exchange, the former talk-show host failed to acknowledge the renowned Hollywood and Bollywood performer's first name — igniting a swift backlash.
"Hi everyone. Some thoughts," Chopra Jonas wrote on her Instagram story.
"I have never taken myself so seriously to think everyone would know who I am, or my work for that matter. But if you wanted to make a public apology for a very awkward private encounter, I think probably best to take the time to google my name before doing it or even try to reach out directly."
Chopra Jonas' response comes days after O'Donnell approached her and her husband, singer-actor Nick Jonas, at Nobu — an upscale sushi restaurant in Malibu — and told the "White Tiger" star she knew her dad. When Chopra Jonas replied, "You do? Who's my dad?" and O'Donnell said, "Deepak," the actor corrected the comic and informed her that "Chopra is a common name," according to O'Donnell's summary of the encounter.
(Chopra Jonas' father, Ashok Chopra, was a doctor in the Indian army and died of cancer in 2013.)
In the immediate aftermath, an "embarrassed" O'Donnell posted a TikTok video expressing remorse for the blunder while referring to Nick Jonas and Deepak Chopra by their full names. Priyanka Chopra Jonas, however, was reduced to "someone Chopra" and "the Chopra wife."
"We ALL deserve to be respected for our unique individuality and not be referred to as 'someone' or 'wife,' especially in a sincere apology," Chopra Jonas continued in her Instagram message.
"If we can learn to respect our differences in an authentic way, the world we we raise our children in, will be amazing. Also PS — as I've said before, not all Chopra's are related to the great Deepak, just as not all Smith's are related to the legendary Will Smith."
On his own Instagram story, Nick Jonas — who's a vocalist and instrumentalist with his band, the Jonas Brothers — reposted his wife's comments and wrote, "[Well] said my love."
Following a wave of criticism for her original remarks, O'Donnell shared a follow-up video Monday apologizing to Chopra Jonas again and defending the "Quantico" alum against haters who argued she reacted rudely to the comedian's mistake. She also posted a screenshot of the "Matrix Resurrections" cast member's Instagram account, which boasts 74.5 million followers, to underscore how oblivious she was to Chopra Jonas' considerable fame.
"People thought that [Priyanka Chopra Jonas] was rude — she wasn't rude," O'Donnell said Monday in the follow-up clip. "It was just awkward, you know? I mean, I'm sure she gets sick of that. I'm sure I'm not the only one. ...
"But she's apparently a very well-known actress and more famous than [Nick Jonas], people were saying, so I'm sure it felt weird to her to begin with. Anyway, Priyanka is her name. Priyanka. I hope I'm pronouncing that right."
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