Last month (September 2024), the press screening for Raj-DK’s Citadel: Honey Bunny, featuring Varun Dhawan and Samantha Ruth Prabhu, was held in London. During the event, the leading women of the series—Priyanka Chopra Jonas (Citadel), Samantha (Citadel: Honey Bunny), and Matilda De Angelis (Citadel: Diana)—posed for a photo that quickly went viral. In a recent interview, Matilda revealed Priyanka was incredibly so good and badass and she wanted to be at her level.
In a chat with News18, Matilda stated that when she first watched Priyanka in Citadel, she was ‘deeply inspired.’ As a result, she left no stone unturned to give her all so that she could match the bar set by the Desi Girl. “When we were at the premiere in London, I remember watching Citadel and thinking to myself, ‘Wow, she’s so good, so incredibly good!’ She’s so stunning and beautiful, and she was a badass! I wanted to be at her level. So, I trained very, very hard to fill the gaps and meet expectations”.
For those unfamiliar, the Raj-DK series is the Indian adaptation of the Russo Brothers’ spy universe franchise. Meanwhile, Matilda’s Citadel: Diana, set to debut on Prime Video on October 10, represents the Italian installment.
Matilda shared her experience of meeting Priyanka and Samantha in London, expressing her admiration for both. She mentioned that she had met them about a year and a half earlier and noted that every time she sees them, it feels as if they have a deep connection. Matilda added that she feels very comfortable in their presence and enjoyed the opportunity to see them again.
Matilda mentioned that the photo of the three of them from the screening night received significant attention, highlighting the women who lead the Citadel universe. She expressed her eagerness to meet them again, saying that their conversation primarily revolved around Citadel and their excitement for it.
Although their previous meeting was brief, lasting only a couple of hours, Matilda looked forward to a more intimate gathering, such as having dinner with the two actresses.
Previously, the Russo Brothers mentioned that Citadel serves as a response to the James Bond films. The franchise aims to highlight strong female characters in leading roles, and Matilda expressed her appreciation for the creators’ commitment to this choice, emphasizing it wasn’t merely for the sake of making a statement.
She stated that while Citadel could be seen as their answer to James Bond, the focus should remain on the story itself. Matilda emphasized that the inclusion of substantial female characters is meaningful only when they are essential to the narrative; otherwise, it risks becoming just a passing trend or gimmick.
On the other hand, Chopra is all set to reprise her role as Nadia and has begun filming for Citadel Season 2 alongside Richard Madden. Meanwhile, the Indian version, Citadel: Honey Bunny, will premiere on Amazon Prime Video on November 7, 2024. The show features Varun Dhawan and Samantha Ruth Prabhu in lead roles.
Regarding Chopra’s upcoming projects, she has completed filming for several films, including The Bluff and Heads of State. Additionally, she is in discussions with Farhan Akhtar for the highly anticipated Jee Le Zara, which stars Alia Bhatt and Katrina Kaif. Stay tuned to Pinkvilla for more updates!
ALSO READ: Citadel Season 2: Priyanka Chopra aka Nadia is back with a bang; gives INSIDE tour of sets to fans
