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Pinkett's mother was in high school
in Baltimore when, in 1971, she found herself pregnant. Pinkett's parents
married for her birth, but divorced a few months later, so the child was
raised by her young mother and her grandmother, a social worker. She
attended a performing arts high school, where she studied drama and dance,
and dated classmate Tupac Shakur. In college, Pinkett majored in theater,
but decided to drop out and switch to a more practical career path by
entering law school. When she called home to break the news, Pinkett's
mother reacted by sending her to Los Angeles to become an actor. Her role
on A Different World started as an occasional recurring character, but
Pinkett proved popular enough to earn a promotion to the regular cast. She
had a small role in Menace II Society (1993), and key roles in A Low Down
Dirty Shame (1994) and the chick flick Set It Off.
Pinkett met actor Will Smith when she auditioned for the role of his
girlfriend on Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. She didn't get the part, because
producers thought she was too short to make a good match for the
6-foot-2-inch actor. For several years, Smith and Pinkett occasionally ran
into each other at Hollywood functions, and when his marriage to model
Sheree Zampino broke up, Smith called Pinkett and they began dating. They
lived together for two years before marrying in a small ceremony in her
hometown on New Years Eve, 1997.
Smith and Pinkett Smith are either extraordinarily dedicated to their
family or they have a PR flack who really, really works hard at getting
that message out. "Family comes first" is what they both seem to stress in
every media report about either of them. In 2003, Smith and Pinkett Smith
sought a restraining order against one Mike Cooley, husband of their kids'
former nanny, who had been fired for unspecified reasons. Cooley, they
alleged, was stalking their children. Smith and Pinkett Smith collaborate
as executive producers of the UPN sitcom All of Us. Pinkett also sings
lead vocals in the band Wicked Wisdom, which opened for Britney Spears on
her 2004 European tour.
In 2006 she donated $1-million to the Baltimore School for the Arts, an
institute centered on training performers where she graduated in 1989. The
money will be used to construct a new theater on the school grounds, and
Pinkett Smith has asked that it be named for her murdered classmate, Tupac
Shakur. |
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"I just want pieces of the
world" - in reference to her career
"Will is a very interesting, unique man, and I'll tell you why. He
makes love like a woman. He loves to touch, massage and feel. He
makes love like he's in touch with himself, who he is. And he's a
very sensual, incredible lovemaker."
[On the martial arts training for The Matrix Reloaded (2003) and The
Matrix Revolutions (2003)] "I saw Keanu (Reeves) sitting in a tub of
ice. And I'm looking at him like 'You're in that for...' and he's
looking at me like 'You'll know one day.'" |
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The Women (2008)
Madagascar: The Crate Escape (2008)(voice) .... Gloria
Reign Over Me (2007) .... Janeane Johnson
Madagascar (2005) (voice) .... Gloria
Collateral (2004) .... Annie
The Matrix Revolutions (2003) .... Niobe
... aka The Matrix Revolutions: The IMAX Experience (USA: IMAX
version (promotional title))
Enter the Matrix (2003) (VG) .... Niobe
The Matrix Reloaded (2003) .... Niobe
... aka The Matrix Reloaded: The IMAX Experience (USA: IMAX version
(promotional title))
Maniac Magee (2003) (TV) .... Narrator
Ali (2001) .... Sonji
Kingdom Come (2001/I) .... Charisse Slocumb
Bamboozled (2000) (as Jada Pinkett-Smith) .... Sloan Hopkins
Blossoms and Veils (1998) .... Mary
Return to Paradise (1998) .... M.J. Major
... aka All for One (USA: alternative title)
Woo (1998) .... Woo
Scream 2 (1997) (as Jada Pinkett) .... Maureen Evans
Mononoke-hime (1997) (voice: English version) .... Toki
... aka Princess Mononoke (USA)
Set It Off (1996) (as Jada Pinkett) .... Lida 'Stony' Newsom
If These Walls Could Talk (1996) (TV) (as Jada Pinkett) .... Patti
(segment "1996")
The Nutty Professor (1996) (as Jada Pinkett) .... Professor Carla
Purty
Tales from the Crypt: Demon Knight (1995) (as Jada Pinkett) ....
Jeryline
... aka Demon Keeper
... aka Tales from the Crypt Presents: Demon Knight (USA: complete
title)
A Low Down Dirty Shame (1994) (as Jada Pinkett) .... Peaches Jordan
... aka Mister Cool
Jason's Lyric (1994) (as Jada Pinkett) .... Lyric
The Inkwell (1994) (as Jada Pinkett) .... Lauren Kelly
... aka No Ordinary Summer
"A Different World" .... Lena James (36 episodes, 1991-1993)
- Cabin in the Sky (1993) TV Episode (as Jada Pinkett) .... Lena
James
- Dancing Machines (1993) TV Episode (as Jada Pinkett) .... Lena
James
- When One Door Closes...: Part 2 (1993) TV Episode (as Jada
Pinkett) .... Lena James
- Mind Your Own Business (1993) TV Episode (as Jada Pinkett) ....
Lena James
- Happy Birthday to Moi (1993) TV Episode (as Jada Pinkett) ....
Lena James
(31 more)
Menace II Society (1993) (as Jada Pinkett) .... Ronnie
"21 Jump Street" (1 episode, 1991)
- Homegirls (1991) TV Episode
"True Colors" .... Beverly (1 episode, 1990)
- Life with Fathers (1990) TV Episode .... Beverly
Moe's World (1990) (TV) (as Jada Pinkett) |
