Priyanka Chopra demanded “respect” as she called out Rosie O’Donnell’s public apology over mistakenly thinking Deepak Chopra was her father.
“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,” the “Quantico” alum wrote in a statement posted to her Instagram Story Wednesday.
“We ALL deserve to be respected for our unique individuality and not be referred to as ‘someone’ or ‘wife’ especially in a sincere apology,” she continued. “If we can learn to respect our differences in an authentic way, the world we raise our children in, will be amazing.”
In one final jab, Priyanka added, “PS – As I’ve said before, not all Chopra’s [sic] are related to the great Deepak, just as not all Smith’s [sic] are related to the legendary Will Smith.”
O’Donnell, 59, was berated by internet users earlier this week after sharing how she had assumed Deepak, 75, was Priyanka’s dad during a recent run-in with the former Bollywood star, 39, and her husband, Nick Jonas, at Nobu Malibu.
“I said, ‘Hi, Nick Jonas. You were great in “Kingdom”’ and ‘Hi, [Priyanka]. I know your dad.’ She goes, ‘You do? Who’s my dad?’ And I’m like, ‘Deepak,’” O’Donnell recalled in a TikTok video. “She’s like, ‘No, and Chopra is a common name.’ … I felt so embarrassed.”
The former “The View” co-host then said, “To Nick Jonas, I apologize, and to the Chopra wife, I apologize too.”
Like Priyanka, many netizens took issue with O’Donnell’s apology, slamming her for not even referring to the actress by name.
The former talk show host then issued a second apology after being lambasted for the flub.
“People thought that she was rude. She wasn’t rude. It was just awkward. I’m sure she gets sick of that. I’m sure I’m not the only one. According to the comments, a lot of people thought that, too, but she’s apparently a very well-known actress and more famous than him, people were saying. So I’m sure it felt weird to her, to begin with,” O’Donnell said.
She added, “Anyway, Priyanka is her name. Priyanka. I hope I’m pronouncing that right. I just want to apologize to her and to everyone who thought that it was really inappropriate of me. Sorry, sometimes I f–k up. I did at Nobu.”
Priyanka’s father, Dr. Ashok Chopra, died in June 2013. Meanwhile, Deepak has two children, neither of whom is Priyanka. His kids are author Mallika Chopra, 50, and filmmaker Gotham Chopra, 47.