After featuring as one of the cover stars of Variety magazine, our girl in Hollywood, Priyanka Chopra was honoured at the Variety Power of Women event. She was one of the five honorees for Variety’s annual Power of Women luncheon, at the Beverly Wilshire Four Seasons. The event, in partnership with Lifetime Television, awards some of Hollywood’s most philanthropic women whose efforts have made a significant impact to their chosen charities and causes.

Priyanka was honoured for her work with UNICEF, alongside other big names such as Kelly Clarkson (QX Super School), Patty Jenkins (Anti-Recidivism Coalition), Michelle Pfeiffer (Environmental Working Group), and Octavia Spencer (City Year).

And we’re very glad to report that our girl is Hollywood stood her own and spoke her mind and pretty much won them over all over again. She opened up a life-changing experience that set her on her path of growth, many moons ago. In what could be dubbed her first negative experience working in the industry, she spoke about how, early in her career, when she was 18 or 19, a director told her that if she wouldn’t work on ridiculous terms or low salary, he would replace her. “…Because girls are replaceable in an entertainment business. That was a memorable one, made me decide to make myself irreplaceable.” …And she did. Wonder what that filmmaker has to say about his statement now!

PC herself is too involved with work, both professional and charity, to mull over the slights of her past. Taking the baton ahead as UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, she made an emotional to Zimbabwe this week, where she met child survivors of sexual violence and listened to their heart-breaking stories. She also visited the Childline call-in centre to meet the Helpline counsellors and listen to some of the calls being fielded in real-time. The following day, Priyanka also hosted UNICEF South Africa’s first Gala event in Johannesburg to raise funds for UNICEF’s work for children in the country. During a visit to Jordan, she met with Syrian children, young people and their families whose lives have been devastated by the ongoing conflict.

Just a single word for Ms. Chopra: Respect!