Jada Pinkett Smith bio, age, young, parents, husband, kids, height 2025

Biography of Jada Pinkett Smith

Jada Pinkett Smith is a multifaceted American actress, producer, director, singer, and entrepreneur. She's best known for her roles in films like "Scream 2," "The Matrix Reloaded," and "The Matrix Revolutions," plus the TV series "Gotham." She also fronts her own metal band, "Wicked Wisdom." Married to Will Smith and mother to their creative kids Jaden and Willow Smith, Jada's also a passionate philanthropist and compelling host of the talk show "Red Table Talk."

Childhood and Adolescence

Jada Koren Pinkett was born on September 18, 1971, in Baltimore, Maryland. She was named after soap opera actress Jada Rowland, whom her mother adored.

Jada's mother, Adrienne Banfield-Jones, became pregnant during her senior year of high school. Hoping to provide a stable family environment for their child, she married her boyfriend, Robsol Pinkett, and they had a second child — a son named Caleeb.

The marriage was far from blissful. Years later, Adrienne revealed on a talk show that her first intimate encounter with Robsol happened without her consent because she was afraid of angering him. He struggled with alcoholism and drug addiction, often resorting to violence against Adrienne. Eventually, she couldn't take it anymore and filed for divorce.

Robsol passed away from an overdose in 2010. Jada never managed to reconcile with him. He came back into her life after she'd already become a famous actress, but they never reconciled. Jada recounted, "I told him, 'I don't owe you anything. You didn't do a damn thing for me or Caleeb.' I was furious. And he replied, 'It's a sickness. I couldn't help myself, and I'm still your father.'"

Jada Pinkett Smith Talks «Horrendous Fight» With Her Father Prior to His Overdose

While raising her children, Adrienne, who struggled with her own heroin addiction, relied on her mother's help. Jada's grandmother was the one who noticed her granddaughter's talent for the arts. At her grandmother's urging, Jada was first enrolled in music school to study piano. Later, when Jada showed natural grace and fluid movement, her artistic training expanded to include tap dancing and ballet.

Jada's artistic education continued when she attended the Baltimore School for the Arts, focusing on dance and theater. There, she became classmates and close friends with future rapper Tupac Shakur. Later, in 1995, she appeared in his music video for the song "Temptations."

In 1989, Jada completed her studies and enrolled in the North Carolina School of the Arts. But after just one year, she headed to Los Angeles, hoping to launch a Hollywood career. Jada stayed with a family friend, Laverne Whitt, who was involved in the show business world. Whitt helped the aspiring actress land her first roles.

Acting Career

Jada made her screen debut in an episode of the television series "True Colors," which aired from 1990 to 1992. She subsequently appeared in two other series, "Doogie Howser, M.D." and "21 Jump Street," both popular shows at the time.

Her first major role was as Lena James in the series "A Different World." The show started strong with high ratings, but when key cast members left, viewership dropped and it was cancelled in 1993.

Jada's first feature film role came in the 1993 thriller "Menace II Society," about inner-city life. The film was a box office hit but drew criticism for its heavy violence, language, and drug content.

Throughout the latter half of the '90s, Jada appeared in films such as "The Nutty Professor" (1996) with Eddie Murphy, "Set It Off" (1996) with Queen Latifah, "Scream 2" (1997), "Woo" (1998), and "Bamboozled" (2000).

A disturbing incident happened on the set of "The Nutty Professor," which Jada later opened up about on her show Red Table Talk. She'd been drinking since high school, and when she moved to Los Angeles, she added drugs to the mix. During filming, she passed out after taking too many pills. She lied to her colleagues, claiming she'd taken expired medication, but the incident was a wake-up call that made her get her life together.

I was drinking hard in high school, too, and when I got out here I was doing cocktails. So, ecstasy, alcohol, weed. Let me tell you, I was having myself a little ball... I went to work high and it was a bad batch of ecstasy. And I passed out and I told everybody that I must have had old medication in a vitamin bottle. But I'll tell you what I did, though. I got my a** together and got on that set. That was the last time.

In 1997, she married Will Smith and took the hyphenated surname Pinkett-Smith. Alongside her husband, she starred in the sports drama "Ali," where Will portrayed the legendary boxer Muhammad Ali, and Jada played his wife, Sonji Roi.

Jada gained widespread recognition for her roles in "The Matrix Reloaded" and "The Matrix Revolutions" (both released in 2003). In this franchise, she portrayed a revolutionary named Niobe.

The next significant role in Jada's career was voicing one of the main characters, Gloria the hippopotamus, in the animated film "Madagascar" (2005). The film was such a hit that it spawned two sequels: "Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa" (2008) and "Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted" (2012). Jada voiced the character in each installment, plus several short films set in the same universe.

Jada Pinkett Smith Madagascar 2 Interview

In 2008, the actress received a Golden Raspberry Award for her role in "The Women." But Jada quickly bounced back by directing "The Human Contract" (2008), which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival. She didn't just direct—she also played one of the characters in the movie.

Jada's next big success was her role in the series "Gotham," based on DC Comics and following Batman's origin story. She played the memorable villainess Fish Mooney. She appeared in three of the show's five seasons and earned two nominations: one for the NAACP Image Award and another for the People's Choice Award.

Jada Pinkett Smith as Fish Mooney (Gotham)

In 2015, the actress appeared in "Magic Mike XXL," starring Channing Tatum in the lead role, and in 2016, she featured in the comedy "Bad Moms" alongside Mila Kunis and Kristen Bell.

In 2017, she played one of the main roles in the film "Girls Trip," which also starred Queen Latifah, and in 2019, she appeared in a supporting role in the action film "Angel Has Fallen" with Gerard Butler and Morgan Freeman in the lead roles.

Charity

Jada dedicates significant time and resources to charitable causes. In 1996, she and Will Smith created the "Will and Jada Smith Family Foundation," which supports underprivileged children and funds educational initiatives.

In 2006, she donated a million dollars to the Baltimore School for the Arts, where she studied.

Since 2012, Jada has been actively working to combat human trafficking. She partnered with Salma Hayek to create an awareness video about the issue. Jada also launched a website called Don't Sell Bodie to support trafficking victims

Other Projects

In 2002, Jada formed the nu-metal band "Wicked Wisdom." The band has released two albums: "My Story" in 2004 and "Wicked Wisdom" in 2006.

Wicked Wisdom in 2013

In 2004, the actress published a children's book called "Girls Hold Up This World." The short poem celebrates young girls' inner strength and encourages them to never give up.

In 2018, Jada launched a talk show called "Red Table Talk" on the Facebook Watch platform. The show features Jada alongside her daughter Willow Smith and mother Adrienne Banfield, with celebrity guests making regular appearances. The show's concept centers on candid conversations about various topics through the lens of three generations.

Jada Pinkett Smith's Personal Life

Jada married Will Smith in 1997. The wedding ceremony took place on New Year's Eve.

The wedding of Jada Pinkett and Will Smith

The actors first met in 1990 when Jada auditioned for the role of Will's girlfriend in the TV series "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air." She didn't get the part because she looked too small next to Will. However, the actors continued to communicate, and in 1995, after Will divorced his first wife, they started a relationship.

The couple welcomed their first child, son Jaden Smith, in 1998, and daughter Willow Smith in 2000. Jada also became a stepmother to Will Smith's son from his first marriage, Trey Smith.

Jada Pinkett Smith with husband and kids

The media constantly hounded the couple, repeatedly announcing their supposed separation. In 2011, media rumors swirled that Jada and Will were divorcing after she allegedly had an affair with co-star Mark Anthony while filming "Hawthorne." Both Will's eldest son and the couple themselves denied these rumors.

In 2011, the couple had some problems in their relationship

In July 2020, Jada admitted to having an affair with singer August Alsina. This happened when she and Will were on a break in their relationship.

Jada Is At The Red Table Admitting To An «Entanglement» With August Alsina

The affair likely happened in 2018, when divorce rumors about the couple first started spreading. They reportedly even separated temporarily and started seeing a family therapist.

In 2021, the actor released his autobiography "Will," in which he honestly talked about the crisis they went through. He revealed that in 2011, he and Jada really were separating, having had a fight over a party celebrating Jada's 40th birthday.

In 2018, Jada started experiencing hair loss at an alarming rate. Despite medical consultations, doctors never determined what caused her alopecia. When she had very little hair left, the actress shaved her head completely, started wearing stylish turbans, and openly shared her struggle with fans.

In 2021, Will Smith revealed that he and his wife have an open marriage and they can engage in romantic relationships with other people with each other's consent. However, they are still happy together.

Jada Pinkett Smith Now

Jada Pinkett-Smith currently is known for returning to her familiar role as Niobe in the film "The Matrix: Resurrections" in 2021. And in March 2022, she accompanied her husband Will Smith to the Oscars ceremony. Her husband received the coveted award for the first time, but the event was remembered not for that, but for how Will defended his wife's honor. Host Chris Rock made a tasteless joke about Jada's shaved head, referencing her alopecia, prompting Will to walk onstage and slap him.

Will Smith slaps Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscars