It’s May 2009, and you’ve just come home from a long day of first grade. With a cherry popsicle and a bag of chips, you settle down on the couch to watch your favorite television show – Disney’s Jonas – a single camera sitcom with rockstar brothers Kevin, Joe and Nick Jonas.
Although it may seem like a distant memory, Jonas, and many other Disney Channel shows, were a vital piece of many of our childhoods. Escaping into the world of television taught us the love and pain that life was likely to throw our way. Many fans, including myself, were instantly absorbed into the world of the Jonas brothers. Almost 10 years later, that fact still remains true.
After the American television network terminated the show, the Jonas brothers split and began working on their separate career. Joe Jonas made his debut with “Cake by the Ocean” with pop band DNCE. Nick Jonas began creating his solo career and becoming one of the Billboards Top 100 Artists with his pop single “Jealous” in 2014. Since then, Nick Jonas has collaborated with prominent artists such as Tove Lo and Demi Lovato. He has also appeared in a range of movies and shows including Goat, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, and even Scream Queens.
In recent social media platforms, including Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat, the news of Nick Jonas’s marriage to Priyanka Chopra (lead actress of ABC’s hit show Quantico) is spreading. Chopra is no stranger to being on screen as she had graced it at the age of 18. In 2000, Chopra won the Miss World Pageant, and soon after, started to appear in Bollywood movies everywhere. Today, Chopra has appeared in over 60 movies, and has promoted an impressive music career.
While many fans were overjoyed with the union, others, like New York Magazine, were against the ordeal claiming that Nick Jonas, “married into a fraudulent relationship against his will.” Despite the many controversial factors, Mr. and Mrs. Jonas were married on December 1, and celebrated with both a Hindu and Christian ceremony.
While pop magazines and news outlets were quick to broadcast the news and delve into the the intricate details of the wedding, others focused on what the marriage represented – two very different people overcoming countless barriers, including race, for love.
In many cultures around the world having a relationship outside of your race is taboo and at times shameful. The marriage between Priyanka and Nick emphasizes the importance of love and the courage to overcome the multiple stereotypes over their marriage: First comes the age difference. Interview after interview, Chopra emphasized her desire for marriage and children – despite most peoples opinions – and her patience to wait until she met someone she cared about which truly represents a woman strong enough to withstand the pressures of society
In order to blend into the United States, many foreigners assimilate as soon as they cross the border. Similarly, to get more roles, many actors and actresses do the same. Despite the undoubtedly immense pressure to shed her roots, Priyanka held on to them, and even incorporated them into her wedding. In order to celebrate two distinct cultures and traditions, the couple participated in a five day ceremony in Jodhpur, India. In fact, “One of the most special things that [their] relationship has given [them] is a merging of families who love and respect each other’s faiths and cultures,” said Nick Jonas via Instagram.
The lives of most celebrities are already under a microscope as soon as they step outside. Strangers comb through the lifestyle of celebrities and judge them for every move they make. Being a woman of color often makes those judgments and much more difficult. In the whirlwind that was her wedding, Chopra shattered stereotypes and will continue to do so. In regards to fitting in, Chopra says , “Don’t try to fit in to a glass slipper. Instead, shatter the glass ceiling.”
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