by Janell Hazelwood
May 6, 2011
Black Celebrity Moms: Setting the Stage for Their Children’s Success
Jada Pinkett Smith and children, Jaden and Willow
We all fell in love with Jada Pinkett Smith in her role as Lena James in A Different World. And she went even further, with roles in films including Menace II Society and box office powerhouse franchises Scream, The Matrix, and The Nutty Professor. She changed gears in 2002, channeling her musical alter ego, Jada Koren, in the rock band, Wicked Wisdom. After her nuptials to actor Will Smith, their family expanded into Hollywood royalty, with son Jaden finding major success in 2006’s The Pursuit of Happyness and 2010’s The Karate Kid, and daughter, Willow, in her super-popular rise to fame with her single, “Whip My Hair,” and subsequent record deal with Jay Z’s Roc Nation.