Jada Pinkett Smith, the reigning queen of candid conversations at the Red Table, decided to grab the microphone outside her kitchen and dish out some serious support for her fellow Hollywood diva, Taraji P. Henson.
Now, Taraji, the dynamo behind many iconic roles and the sheer force of nature in everything she touches, recently went viral for calling out the paycheck shenanigans in Tinseltown, especially for Black women like herself. And guess who stepped up to cheer her on? None other than Jada!
In an interview on NPR’s “It’s Been a Minute,” Jada was asked if Taraji’s words struck a chord with her. And boy, did they ever! With the kind of enthusiasm that could light up a galaxy, Jada exclaimed, “Absolutely!” She even added that her heart did a little somersault of empathy for Taraji. But hold onto your hats, ’cause there’s more!
Jada, being the sage oracle she is, pointed out that Taraji is the breadwinner of her clan, which comes with its own special blend of pressures. And Jada’s not about to let anyone forget that being married to the Fresh Prince himself doesn’t solve all life’s problems. Nope, not even close!
She revealed how folks would drop the classic line, “Well, you’ve got Will Smith, what more do you need?” Oh, the audacity! But hey, being a Black entertainer means you’re not just carrying your own dreams; you’re lugging around the hopes and dreams of an entire village! Talk about a workout regimen Hollywood never mentions.
And get this, Jada spilled the beans on why you don’t see her gracing the big screen as often these days. It’s not that she’s gone into hiding. No siree! It’s just that the roles she’s after need to be juicier than a ripe watermelon on a summer day. She’s not about to settle for anything less than roles that make her heart skip a beat and her creative spirit do the Cha-Cha.
Jada Pinkett Smith, the fierce mama bear of Hollywood, standing tall and proud beside her sister in arms, Taraji P. Henson, ready to take on the world one blockbuster role and one unfiltered conversation at a time!
