Jada Pinkett Smith facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jada Pinkett Smith
Pinkett Smith in 2014
Born	Jada Koren Pinkett (1971-09-18) September 18, 1971 (age 53) Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
Education	North Carolina School of the Arts
Occupation	Actress talk show host singer businesswoman
Years active	1990–present
Organization	Westbrook Inc. 100% Woman Productions
Agent	Endeavor
Spouse(s)	Will Smith ​ ​ (m. 1997; sep. 2016)​
Children	Jaden Willow

Jada Koren Pinkett Smith (born September 18, 1971) is a talented American actress, singer, and businesswoman. She is also a popular talk show host. Jada is known for her roles in many movies and TV shows. She has even won an award for her talk show, Red Table Talk. In 2021, Time magazine recognized her as one of the 100 most influential people in the world.

Jada got her big start on the TV show A Different World in 1991. Later, she starred in movies like The Nutty Professor (1996) and Set It Off (1996). She also played a major role in The Matrix Reloaded (2003) and voiced a character in the animated Madagascar films. She returned to TV in shows like Hawthorne (2009–2011) and Gotham (2014–2017).

Beyond acting, Jada started a music career in 2002 as the lead singer of the band Wicked Wisdom. She also wrote a children's book called Girls Hold Up This World, which became a bestseller. With her husband, Will Smith, she co-founded a company called Westbrook in 2009. This company has produced many different types of media.

Jada's Early Life and School Days

Jada Koren Pinkett was born in Baltimore, Maryland. She was named after a soap opera actress her mother liked. Her family background includes Jamaican, Bajan, and African-American roots. Jada's mother, Adrienne Banfield-Norris, was a head nurse. Her father, Robsol Pinkett Jr., ran a construction company. Her parents divorced when she was very young.

Jada was raised by her mother and grandmother, Marion Martin Banfield. Her grandmother was a social worker who loved to help her community. She noticed Jada's interest in performing arts. So, she enrolled Jada in piano, tap dance, and ballet classes.

Jada went to the Baltimore School for the Arts. There, she became good friends with her classmate, the rapper Tupac Shakur. She studied dance and theater and graduated in 1989. After high school, she spent a year at the North Carolina School of the Arts.

Jada's Journey in Film and Television

Starting Her Acting Career (1990–1996)

Jada began acting in 1990 with a role in an episode of True Colors. She also appeared in shows like Doogie Howser, M.D. (1991) and 21 Jump Street (1991). In 1991, she got a role on the TV show A Different World as Lena James, a college freshman.

In 1993, Jada made her first movie, Menace II Society. She played Ronnie, a single mother. Her friend Tupac Shakur suggested her for the role. Jada almost left the film after Tupac was no longer in it, but he convinced her to stay.

In 1994, Jada starred with Keenen Ivory Wayans in the action-comedy A Low Down Dirty Shame. She played a character named Peaches, who was described as "raw" and having "major attitude." Critics praised her performance. The New York Times said she "walks away with the movie." That same year, she also starred in the romantic drama Jason's Lyric and the romantic comedy-drama The Inkwell.

In 1995, Jada played a convict in the horror film Demon Knight. She also started directing music videos. She directed "I'm Going Down" by Y? N-Vee and "How Many Times" by Gerald Levert. In 1996, she directed "Keep On, Keepin' On" by MC Lyte featuring Xscape.

Becoming a Well-Known Star (1996–2002)

In 1996, Jada starred with Eddie Murphy in The Nutty Professor. She played the love interest of a kind professor. The movie was a huge success, earning $274 million worldwide. She also had a main role in Set It Off (1996). This crime drama was about four women who rob banks to escape poverty. Her acting in this film was highly praised.

In 1997, Jada had a small role in Scream 2, which earned over $100 million. In 1998, she was a news reporter in Return to Paradise and played the main character in the comedy Woo. She then starred in Spike Lee's film Bamboozled (2000).

In 2001, Jada Pinkett Smith played a wife in the comedy Kingdom Come. She also played Sonji Roi, the first wife of boxer Muhammad Ali, in the movie Ali (2001). Her husband, Will Smith, played Muhammad Ali.

Big Movie Success (2003–2017)

One of Jada's most famous roles is Niobe in The Matrix Reloaded (2003) and The Matrix Revolutions (2003). She also appeared as Niobe in the video game Enter the Matrix (2003). The character of Niobe was created specifically for Jada. These movies were very successful at the box office.

In the thriller Collateral (2004), Jada played a prosecutor. The film was a big hit, making $217.8 million worldwide. She also voiced Gloria, a strong and sweet hippopotamus, in the animated film Madagascar (2005). The directors said they found all of Gloria's traits in Jada's voice. Madagascar earned $532 million worldwide. In 2007, she played a dentist's wife in the drama Reign Over Me.

In 2008, Jada played a lesbian author in the comedy The Women. She also wrote, directed, and starred in the drama The Human Contract (2008). This movie premiered at the Cannes Film Festival. Jada returned to voice Gloria in the sequel Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa (2008), which earned $603 million.

From 2009 to 2011, Jada was an executive producer and starred as a Chief Nursing Officer in the TV drama Hawthorne. In 2010, she was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Musical as a producer for the Broadway musical Fela!. She continued to voice Gloria in Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted (2012) and other Madagascar specials.

From 2014 to 2017, Jada starred in the TV crime drama Gotham as the gangster Fish Mooney. In 2015, she appeared in the comedy Magic Mike XXL. She also starred in the comedy Bad Moms (2016), which earned over $183.9 million.

In 2017, Jada played a nurse and strict mom in the comedy Girls Trip. This film was chosen by Time magazine as one of the top ten films of 2017. It was also the first comedy of 2017 to earn over $100 million in the U.S.

Recent Work and Talk Show Success (2018–Present)

Since May 2018, Jada Pinkett Smith has hosted the Facebook Watch talk show Red Table Talk with her mother, Adrienne Banfield-Norris, and her daughter, Willow Smith. The show discusses many different topics. Critics have praised the show for its interesting guests and honest discussions. In 2021, Time magazine named Jada and her co-hosts among the 100 most influential people in the world. In 2021, Red Table Talk won a Daytime Emmy Award for outstanding informative talk show.

In 2023, Jada narrated and produced the docu-series African Queens for Netflix. The first season was about Queen Njinga, and the second season focused on Queen Cleopatra VII. Jada's memoir, Worthy, was published in October 2023. The book talks about her life journey and her childhood.

Jada's Musical Journey

Jada Pinkett Smith started a metal band called Wicked Wisdom in 2002. She is the lead singer. The band's first album, Wicked Wisdom, was released in 2006. It reached number 44 on the Billboard Top Heatseekers chart. Critics said Jada was an "expressive, commanding singer." The band toured with the heavy metal band Sevendust in 2006.

Performing on Big Tours

In 2004, Wicked Wisdom got a chance to open for Britney Spears on her Onyx Hotel Tour. They performed for eight dates during the European part of the tour.

In 2005, Sharon Osbourne saw Wicked Wisdom perform and was very impressed. She said Jada had "nothing but love and respect" for metal music. In May 2005, it was announced that Wicked Wisdom would perform at Ozzfest, a famous heavy metal music festival. Jada knew some people might question why her band was there. She said, "I'm not here asking for any favors. You've got to show and prove." The band's guitarist, Pocket Honore, said that after a few shows, people realized they were serious, and their performances became very popular.

Other Things Jada Does

Being a Businesswoman

After starting her music company, 100% Women Productions, Jada created her own fashion line called Maja in 1994. The clothing line featured T-shirts and dresses with the slogan "Sister Power." In 2003, Jada and Will Smith helped create the TV series All of Us.

In 2005, Jada published her first children's book, Girls Hold Up This World. She wrote the book for her daughter, Willow, and for all young girls. She wanted girls to feel powerful and know they can change the world.

Jada also invested in Carol's Daughter, a beauty product line created by Lisa Price. She became a spokesperson for the brand. In 2015, Jada and Will Smith were among the first investors in an energy storage company. Jada also produces films through companies she owns with Will Smith, like Overbrook Entertainment and Westbrook Inc.

Helping Others (Philanthropy)

In 1997, Jada Pinkett Smith was the host of the Million Woman March in Philadelphia. Jada and Will Smith created the Will and Jada Smith Family Foundation in Baltimore, Maryland. This charity helps young people in cities and supports families. The foundation has given money to groups like YouthBuild.

In 2006, Jada donated $1 million to her old high school, the Baltimore School for the Arts. She dedicated a new theater there to her close friend, Tupac Shakur.

In 2007, Jada's aunt was diagnosed with lupus. So, the Will and Jada Smith Family Foundation held an event called "Butterflies Over Hollywood" to raise money for lupus education programs.

In 2012, Jada wrote a letter to the mayor of Baltimore for PETA. She asked that the Ringling Brothers Circus not harm elephants. In 2013, she appeared in a video for Gucci's "Chime for Change" campaign. This campaign raises money and awareness for women's issues around the world.

Jada's Personal Life

Pinkett's close friend Tupac Shakur, whom she met during high school

In the early 1990s, Jada Pinkett Smith dated basketball player Grant Hill. Jada had a very close friendship with rapper Tupac Shakur. They met in high school. Jada helped Tupac get a guest role on A Different World in 1993. She also appeared in his music videos. She even came up with the idea for his "California Love" music video. Jada later shared that she turned down a marriage proposal from Tupac in 1995. Tupac once said, "Jada is my heart. She will be my friend for my whole life."

In 2018, Jada shared that she has alopecia areata, an autoimmune disease that causes hair loss. She suspects it might be due to stress. In December 2021, she showed herself with a shaved head, saying she would "be friends" with her alopecia. At the 94th Academy Awards, a joke about Jada's hair led to Will Smith slapping Chris Rock.

Jada also speaks Spanish.

Her Family Life

Pinkett Smith with her husband and children at the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize Concert

Jada is very close to her mother, Adrienne Banfield-Norris. She said their relationship is "the most honest."

Jada met Will Smith in 1994 when she auditioned for a role on his TV show The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. She didn't get the part because she was considered too short. Will and Jada started dating after Will's divorce was final in 1995. Jada moved to California to be with him. On December 31, 1997, they got married in Maryland. Jada was three months pregnant at the time. She later said she "never wanted to be married" but felt pressured.

Jada and Will have two children: Jaden Christopher Syre Smith (born 1998) and Willow Camille Reign Smith (born 2000). Jada is also the stepmother to Trey Smith, Will's son from his first marriage. The family lives in a large home in Malibu.

In October 2023, Jada Pinkett Smith shared that she and Will Smith have been separated since 2016, but they do not plan to divorce.

Jada's Film and TV Roles

Movies

Television Shows

Video Games

Music Jada Has Released

With Wicked Wisdom (Her Band)

• My Story (2004)
• Wicked Wisdom (2006)

As a Featured Singer

• 1000 Kisses (Will Smith featuring Jada Pickett Smith, Born to Reign, 2002)

Awards and Recognitions

Books Jada Has Written

• Girls Hold Up This World (Children's Book, 2005)
• Worthy (Memoir, 2023)

Images for kids

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  Pinkett Smith at the Million Woman March in 1997

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  Pinkett Smith around 2001