Jada Pinkett Smith

Jada Pinkett Smith is best known for her acting and her marriage to Will Smith. Born in Baltimore, Pinkett Smith had her sights on acting and music at an early age. She concentrated her studies on her passion, attending the Baltimore School of the Arts and the North Carolina School of the Arts.

She has been married to Will Smith since 1997. Together they have two children and care for Will’s son from a previous marriage. Pinkett Smith made her television debut on NBC’s A Different World in 1991 and hit the big screen in Menace II Society in 1993.

While roles in The Nutty Professor, Set It Off, Scream 2, Collateral, The Matrix Reloaded and Madagascar raised her profile, Pinkett Smith also has taken on smaller ventures like a women’s clothing line. In addition, she took her band, Wicked Wisdom, to Ozzfest in 2005; their debut album was released in early 2006. Pinkett Smith starred in multiple Madagascar sequels and was in the 2008 remake of The Women, starring Debra Messing and Meg Ryan.

The Maryland native has since starred in the likes of Hawthorne, Magic Mike XXL, Bad Moms, Girls Trip and The Matrix Resurrections. She also cohosts Facebook Watch’s Red Table Talk with her mother, Adrienne Banfield Norris, and daughter Willow Smith.

Pinkett Smith announced her struggle with alopecia and hair loss during a May 2018 episode of Red Table Talk.

The Gotham alum confirmed in July 2020 that she had a brief “entanglement” with rapper August Alsina while separated from the King Richard star amid affair allegations. Pinkett Smith and Will reconciled.

Sign up for Us Weekly's free, daily newsletter and never miss breaking news or exclusive stories about your favorite celebrities, TV shows and more!

Pinkett Smith’s alopecia battle made headlines in March 2022 when Chris Rock made a joke about her shaved head during the Academy Awards. The comedian’s remark caused the King Richard star to smack him across the face during the broadcast. Will has since issued an apology before the Academy banned him from events for 10 years. The Hitch actor also resigned from the organization.