Priyanka Chopra joins Idris Elba, Salma Hayek to tell diverse stories through first time filmmakers

Priyanka Chopra’s production house Purple Pebble Pictures, which she runs with her mother Madhu Chopra, has now partnered with ViacomCBS Entertainment & Youth Group, to encourage First Time Directors programme for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and people of colour) and women filmmakers. Others who are collaborating for the project include Idris Elba, Salma Hayek, John Leguizamo, Eva Longoria, Angela Bassett and Courtney B. Vance and their respective production companies.

“When I founded Purple Pebble Pictures our mission was clear, to create opportunities where there were few, and to tell global stories for global audiences irrespective of location and language,” Priyanka said.

The former Miss World was talking to Variety. According to the portal, 50 films will be helmed by first time BIPOC filmmakers and women directors under the programme. She further said, “I am proud to say that we have remained true to that mission since the very first day, always prioritizing content over anything else. Not just the U.S., but the world, is a melting pot of different races, ethnicities, and religions, and the entertainment we consume should reflect the world we actually live in. I am proud to join ViacomCBS Entertainment & Youth Group on this initiative to not only tell diverse stories, but to do so from diverse storytellers.”

Priyanka recently joined HBO Max’s A World of Calm as one of the narrators. The series is based on the popular meditation app Calm and will also feature Oscar winner Kate Winslet, the streamer said in a statement.

Also read: Crackdown review: Saqib Saleem, Shriya Pilgaonkar deliver edge-of-the-seat thriller

The two actors join an impressive list of global stars already aboard the show -- Mahershala Ali, Idris Elba, Oscar Isaac, Nicole Kidman, Zoë Kravitz, Lucy Liu, Cillian Murphy, and Keanu Reeves. Each half-hour episode will take audiences on an immersive visual journey into another world with settings for the stories ranging from a noodle maker’s shop in Seattle to the outer reaches of space.

(With PTI inputs)

Follow @htshowbiz for more