Malala Yousafzai said, “Television dramas in India influenced what I thought about myself and the role of women in society”.

The 25-year-old Pakistani education activist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate spoke to Hollywood actor Anna Kendrick for History Talks, an annual event bringing together Hollywood stars and political leaders for a day of panels and interviews. 

She continued, “The way I saw a very stereotypical image of a woman — it would remind me things shouldn’t be this way”. 

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During the 30-minute chat, Yousafzai – who survived an assassination attempt from a Taliban gunman in 2012, at the age of 15 – expressed how films and television shows had influenced her all her life. “I have been influenced by television and movies my whole life”, she said and shared that Titanic was the only Hollywood movie she had seen in Pakistan before moving to the United Kingdom. 

Over the course of the interview, Yousafzai told the world what she watches on Netflix and also weighed in on the age-old question of whether there was enough space for Rose and Jack on the wooden board at the end of the movie after the Titanic hits the iceberg and the ship begins to sink. 

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The activist added that there is a lot to be optimistic about in the world. Yousafzai said “When I think about hope, I think about young people around the world who are raising their voice for justice, who are speaking about environmental justice, equality, equity”, adding, “I started as a young activist. I believe in the power of the youth. I hope more young people realize the potential to bring change. Don’t wait to be older. You can do amazing things then as well. But if you’re passionate about a cause, you can get into action right now and mobilize other young people to join you.”