Before she was known in the United States, Priyanka Chopra Jonas was one of Bollywood’s biggest stars. She represented India in the Miss World pageant in 2000, won the crown, and promptly took off like a shot, appearing in more than 50 films before breaking into Hollywood in 2015 with the ABC thriller Quantico. She’s continued to be unstoppable, releasing three singles, producing 15 films, and even writing a memoir that made the New York Times best-seller list. In the new Amazon sci-fi thriller Citadel, about love, sex, and amnesia, she plays an international spy with a lot of baggage and an excellent wardrobe. Her daughter, Malti, with Nick Jonas is just over a year old. No wonder Chopra Jonas’s nighttime routine is so exacting.
When do you start getting ready for bed?
I am not able to keep consistent hours because my job does not have consistent hours. We have night shoots; we have day shoots; we have early mornings; we have late afternoons. Whatever my wake time is the next day, I have to start winding down eight and a half hours [before], aiming to get eight hours of sleep a night. I need a little bit of time once I get into bed to watch TV or TikTok or [scroll] Instagram. Maybe I’ll doodle or read something.
Such as?
I started re-watching Arrested Development. I like something that’s not going to give me nightmares. Unless it’s a crime drama—then I don’t mind. Or a reality show! I just finished Bling Empire: New York.
What are you taking—or drinking—to get to bed?
It could be a melatonin night, it could be a glass of wine kind of night—but not if I’m filming very early in the morning. Then it shows up in your eyes, and my face is usually really close up on cameras.
What’s your skin-care routine?
I must—must—take off every ounce of makeup from my face. That’s a golden rule. My job requires me to have professional makeup on my face every day for hours. That can be really terrible for your skin. My job also requires unrealistic beauty standards—no skin problems and flawless skin all the time. But I protect the moneymaker.
I’m always on the lookout for a hydrating cleanser. Right now I’m using G.Tox, by Goop. It feels really clean without stripping away oils. Then a beautiful oil is very important. I’m using Pixi Rose Oil right now, which is lovely and moisturizing. Serum is always great, too—I’m using La Prairie. And then I end with a moisturizer, and then maybe an eye cream. That’s 111SKIN for both at the moment.
Are you particular about your sleep conditions?
A dark environment is non-negotiable. I always have an eye mask, blanket, and pillow in my bag. With those three things, I can sleep anywhere—in the car, on a plane, or in my trailer.
Is the temperature of the room important?
My husband loves a freezing room. I’m from Mumbai—I like a humid, warm room. When he leaves the room, I turn the temperature up. When I leave the room, he turns it down. We’re still kind of tiptoeing around that subject. I take all the pillows at night for some reason. I’ll take his, so he has to fight for pillows.
How long does it take you to fall asleep once you’re in bed?
It’s out like a light. I fall asleep pretty much instantly. It’s staying asleep that’s the question.
How did your daughter change your routine?
She’s 15 months old right now. She loves waking up early, and I am a sleep-late kind of girl. It took me months to regulate my body, but I’m becoming a little bit more of a morning person.
Any pajama preferences?
I have been very particular about that since I was very young. I like to be dressed up just in case, like if there’s an earthquake. Especially now, living in California, I’ve started keeping a pair of shoes and a robe right on my bedside.
I always have been really particular about wearing a matching set or a little nightgown. It’ll never be just a T-shirt. I have to be presentable when I’m in bed.
Any specific brand?
Victoria’s Secret sets and night suits. They’re easy; they’re cute; they’re comfortable. Posh Peanut is another one—I buy a lot of stuff from them for my daughter, too.
What’s your most bizarre nighttime habit?
Kicking.
Where is your all-time favorite place to sleep?
My bed at home. I love my balcony; I love the view; I love the dogs on my bed when I wake up. We created a sanctuary. But I would also take a Four Seasons hotel. Or a Bulgari.
Jensen Davis is the Junior Editor for Air Mail
