Top 10 Shocking Things Jada Pinkett Smith Has Done
#10: Early Life
By no stretch of the imagination, Jada Pinkett Smith currently lives a posh and prosperous life. But it wasn’t always that way. As a teenager in Baltimore Maryland, Jada resorted to selling illegal narcotics to support herself while living with her mother. After experiencing success selling on the streets, Pinkett Smith says she had aspirations of becoming a “queen pin.” However, her risky ventures put her in danger on several occasions. As a dealer, she says that she had a firearm placed to her head on more than one instance. Jada’s distorted reality would change for the better when she moved away from her hometown and attended the North Carolina School of the Arts before moving to Hollywood.
#9: Studied Scientology
For years Jada and Will Smith were rumored celebrity members of the controversial Church of Scientology. Actress Leah Remini seemingly outed the couple as such in her 2015 book, Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology. Jada would eventually set the record straight with Remini through a sit-down chat on her now canceled talk show, Red Table Talk. Jada admitted that she has, in fact, taken classes given by the Church, but adamantly denies that she was ever involved with the group in any meaningful way. She further stated she has no interest in being a Scientologist and acknowledged the pain the group has caused to many, including Remini. It’s safe to say we won’t be seeing Jada at the Scientology Celebrity Centre anytime soon.
#8: Addiction to Adult Entertainment
During an episode of Jada’s online talk show, Red Table Talk, Pinkett Smith revealed to her mother, Adrienne, and daughter, Willow, that she once had an addiction to adult entertainment. She says her “little addiction” came at a time when she was single and trying to practice abstinence. Her unhealthy relationship with the racy medium meant she “couldn’t get enough” adult videos. The mother of 2 says she was feeling an emptiness when she got hooked and it was coming from an emotional place. The episode also featured Willow discussing her relationship with adult content. As for the grandma at the table, Adrienne said “I cannot believe that I’m having this conversation with my daughter and granddaughter!”
#7: Mother’s Intuition
You’ve heard of motherly perceptions, right? Well Jada Pinkett Smith’s is on a whole other level. Speaking of son Jaden on NBC’s Megyn Kelly Today, the actress says that she intuitively knew when he lost his virginity at age 19. Yep, he didn’t have to say anything – his mom already knew! Jada said her son had a certain swag afterwards and walked differently. She could instantly tell her instincts were right. Interestingly enough, Jada also says she immediately knew when she had become pregnant with Jaden. After a romantic night with Will, she told the Fresh Prince actor that she was with child while they were still in bed together. A pregnancy test would later prove that her intuition was spot on. Now those are some freaky powers of perception!
#6: Mental Health Struggles
Living her life as an open book, Jada Pinkett Smith has no issue reflecting on her mental health journey over the years. When she was twenty years old, the actress and chat host had an emotional breakdown that she says has greatly affected her mental stability ever since. Jada has since shared a particularly troubling time when she turned forty years old. While it appeared she was “living the dream” in the public eye, Jada was actually in mental anguish - battling severe depression. Things were so bad in fact, that it led to a series of dire thoughts. She has since credited a hallucinogenic type of brew, Ayahuasca, for giving her “a new intimate relationship” with herself – one where all negative thoughts are gone.
#5: Chris Rock Asked for a Date
Turns out the saga between the Smiths and comedian Chris Rock has more than a few surprising wrinkles. Things first turned sour between the parties when Chris Rock made jokes during his 2016 Oscar hosting stint at Jada and Will’s expense. When Rock took another jab at the 2022 Oscar ceremony, making light of Jada’s bald look – not knowing it was caused by alopecia, Will shockingly struck the comedian onstage. Well, prior to all this, Jada says Chris Rock decided to shoot his shot… with her. She says that during tabloid reports regarding her and Will getting a divorce, Chris called and asked to take her out. After she says she explained that the divorce headlines were nothing more than untrue rumors, the comedian profusely apologized and left it at that.
#4: Entanglement with August Alsina
In a now infamous episode of Red Table Talk alongside partner Will Smith, Jada admitted to having had a relationship with R&B singer-songwriter August Alsina. Pinkett Smith said the tryst with Alsina was while she and Smith were separated, further saying she doesn't “really look at it as a transgression at all.” The actress said it all started as a meaningful friendship and she wanted to help August’s health and mental state. In an interview with Angela Yee on YouTube, Alsina said that he has a deep love for Jada. The episode of Pinkett Smith's Red Table Talk set a record for Facebook, garnering more than 15 million views in just 24 hours!
#3: Tupac Is Her Soulmate
Jada Pinkett Smith says she felt an immediate connection with prolific rapper Tupac Shakur when the two first met at the Baltimore School for the Arts in the 1980s. Becoming fast friends (and more) Jada has gone so far as to say Shakur was her soulmate! She has since revealed that Pac proposed marriage to her. The proposal came in a letter while the rapper was incarcerated in the mid-90s. While she admitted there was genuine love there, she questioned whether Tupac just needed someone “to do time with.” She turned down the proposal but stayed in his life until a fight about his way of living drove a wedge between them. Sadly, the pair were not talking when Shakur was tragically killed in 1996.
#2: Encouraged Her Kids to Microdose Psychedelics
Jaden Smith has opened up about his experiences with psychedelics as of late, and even credits his mom for introducing them to the Smith family – “making the first step.” He says it was originally just her doing it and then “everybody found it in their own ways.” Jada Pinkett Smith has since admitted to encouraging her children to microdose hallucinogens! These are known to produce changes in perception, mood and cognitive processes – they also carry risks. During a Psychedelic Science conference in Denver, Jaden called the experience "profound and beautiful.” He also credits it for helping him and his siblings get along better. And they have their mom to thank – we think…
#1: Feigned Her Marriage
Over the last 6-plus years, Will and Jada Pinkett Smith have made a plethora of red carpet, awards show and movie premiere appearances together. But while the pair were always hand-in-hand and affectionate for the cameras, they were secretly living separate lives at home. In a shocking interview on Today to promote her memoir, Worthy, Jada told Hoda Kotb that she and Will had split years ago – although were not legally divorced. She also recounted her surprise at Will’s use of the word “wife” during the infamous Oscar slap incident, as they hadn’t referred to each other as “husband and wife” for a very long time. Pinkett Smith has since revealed that she and Will Smith are currently working to reconcile their relationship.
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