Priyanka Chopra defends length of her role in The Matrix Resurrections: ‘Small mentality to think that way’

Priyanka Chopra, who plays the adult version of the exile program Sati in The Matrix Resurrections, defended the length of her role in the film. She said that thinking of characters only in terms of lead roles is 'myopic' vision.

During an interview, Priyanka was asked about her thoughts when she got the script of The Matrix Resurrections and her thought process behind saying yes to the part. 

Priyanka told Asian Sunday TV, "I think you are coming from something which a lot of people from the South Asian community ask me. 'Oh, it's a small role, it's not a leading role. Why did you do it?' (laughs) Because it's The Matrix and I play an extremely pivotal part. Even when I picked my movies in Bollywood, I have always picked roles according to characters and they are not necessarily always the lead. The lead is Carrie-Anne Moss, who played Trinity in the last three movies. You're not competing with that and I think it's such a myopic and very small mentality to think that way," she said.

Priyanka said that it was 'incredible' to see each of the actors bringing something to the table. "This is an ensemble of incredible actors and I think by asking that question, you really reduce the grandiosity of being a part of the playground of playing with such incredible people. You look at my career in Bollywood. Whether it is Bajirao Mastani, Barfi, Kaminey, there are so many movies that I have done that are not about me. I just love playing with great talent. I love being on the playground with incredible people. I am not very myopic when it comes to my characters, especially not The Matrix!" she said.

Fans came out in support of Priyanka. "If you're a true artist you look at the art & not its size. It's quality. And that's what Priyanka has done," one wrote. "Seriously, people either forgot the craze the first Matrix trilogy had or they are being purposely dense. To say no to any kind of role for a movie like this would have been a big mistake and Pri is playing the important role of Sati. Any stardom is not built on one role or one movie. It is an evolving process and I could not be happier for Pri for coming this far," another said.

On Thursday, Priyanka's mother Dr Madhu Chopra responded to a news article on her '8-10 minute appearance' in The Matrix Resurrections. Defending the length of Priyanka's role, Madhu tweeted, "Crucial and pivotal… FYI."