Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra Jonas’s relationship didn’t start with a romantic dinner or a chance meeting at an industry party. Instead, it started with Nick spotting Priyanka’s billboard on Sunset Boulevard after his brother Kevin casually mentioned the TV show Quantico. From there, Nick did what felt natural in 2024—he slid into her DMs. His message was smooth enough:“Hello, I’ve heard from a few people that we should meet. I have to agree with these people. Are you in LA anytime soon?”But here’s where things took an unexpected turn. Priyanka responded, but instead of engaging on Instagram, she asked him to text for privacy since her team had access to her social accounts. That’s when Nick made his legendary move: he asked her for a photo of herself looking directly at the camera with a timestamp to prove she was actually the person messaging him.
Priyanka found the request hilarious and slightly suspicious (her words), but she appreciated Nick’s caution and complied. The fact that they eventually became one of Hollywood’s most solid couples makes this origin story even better. What’s remarkable is that they didn’t start dating for a year and a half after that initial contact. Once they did begin their relationship, though, things moved fast. They got engaged within 2.5 months and married in December 2018. Now, eight years later, they’re parents to their four-year-old daughter, Malti Marie, and clearly thriving. The couple recently opened up about their story on the Hey Jonas podcast, giving fans the full breakdown of how a cautious DM and a time-stamped photo led to forever.
The lesson here isn’t just that fairy tales can happen in your DMs; it’s that taking time to build a genuine connection actually works. Nick and Priyanka’s friendship foundation of a year and a half clearly mattered. They didn’t rush into things based on attraction alone. Instead, they actually got to know each other first, which might explain why they’ve managed to stay one of the most beloved couples in the industry. So is asking for a time-stamped verification photo the ultimate catfish prevention or the most paranoid first move ever? Either way, it worked out pretty well for them. What do you think Nick was more afraid of—that it wasn’t actually Priyanka, or that it was?
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Local Lawton
Local Lawton is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.