What Jaden Smith's Life Was Like Growing Up With Famous Parents
This article includes references to mental health issues.
Growing up famous is a privilege bestowed on a select few, but it can often be a double-edged sword. Sure, the lifestyles of the rich and famous seem as glamorous as the glossy front covers of tabloid magazines make them out to be, but it can't be easy to be thrust into the spotlight without any real say in the matter. Just ask Jaden Smith, who grew up in the shadow of his father, legendary actor Will Smith, and his mother, Jada Pinkett Smith.
The "Karate Kid" star got his start on television while most of his peers' concerns involved what to pack for their school lunch and who to play with at recess. While his star power grew at a very young age, it couldn't have been easy to live up to the ongoing legacy of his parents' star power. Luckily, Jada and Will have given their son Jaden free reign over his career choices and continue to stress the importance of an open-ended relationship built on communication.
Nowadays, Jaden is speaking up about how fame has affected his life, and the influence Hollywood has had on his upbringing. The public might have to take his words with a grain of salt, however, after he previously admitted to GQ that he and his sister Willow use interviews as a way to conduct scientific experiments on the general public. From starring alongside his father on the big screen to fooling the public into thinking he's the next Albert Einstein, we're taking a look at what Jaden Smith's life was like growing up with famous parents.
Jaden Smith's parents tried to give him a normal childhood
Jaden Smith grew up as the product of not one but two famous actors in Hollywood. While his father skyrocketed to fame playing the lead in the sitcom "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air," his mother, Jada, was a star in her own right with her roles in the "Matrix" trilogy and "The Nutty Professor." Given the star-studded couple became red-carpet royalty, many fans assumed that Jaden grew up with a silver spoon. Think again, however, as the "Red Table Talk" host has admitted she did everything she could to humble Jaden and his sister Willow despite their immense privileged upbringing.
Speaking on an episode of her "Red Table Talk" in 2019 (per USA Today), the actor admitted her children visited homeless shelters as kids to gain a sense of appreciation for what they had. "Listen, you guys are really privileged and you are to learn how to ... offer yourself and be in service to the world," she remembers telling Jaden and his sister Willow. "They got to see very early that life's not a game and all of this right here, this ain't yours."
Jaden became driven at a young age, with Pinkett Smith doing everything she could to ensure her and her husband's success didn't interfere with her children's. "They really had a lot of respect for their parents in regards to what we were doing like 'This is what it takes for me to eat? This is it?'" she shared. "Yes! These hours, this work ethic."
He made his acting debut at 8 years old
At just 8 years old, Jaden Smith was already attending red-carpet premieres as an actor. The "Icon" singer got his start in the industry starring alongside his father in the 2006 film "The Pursuit of Happyness." The emotional film tells the story of a struggling single father who attempts to make a better life for himself and his son, with Will and Jaden playing the respective roles of father and child.
While some may assume Jaden's role in the film was handed to him as courtesy of his multi-time Oscar-winning father, think again. Will revealed in his self-titled memoir in 2021 that Jaden was given the same treatment in casting as any other child. "[Director] Gabriele Muccino had been struggling to cast the perfect actor to play my son," the "I Am Legend" star revealed (per Business Insider). He went on to admit that Jaden, 6 years old at the time, had been wanting to try out acting, and he and Jada Pinkett Smith agreed to let him audition for the role.
Muccino had originally wanted Jaden to star in the film, but the studio forbade the director to ask Will's permission for fear of nepotism. Ultimately, Jada Pinkett Smith and Will were removed from the casting process to allow for a less convoluted decision-making process. Ultimately, Jaden proved he was the right fit for the film after auditioning nine separate times. "But audition after audition, in all of his innocent, 6-year-old glory, he proved himself the right actor for the role," said Will.
Smith reportedly struggled with his parent's public marriage troubles
Jada Pinkett Smith dropped a major bombshell in 2023 when she revealed she and her husband, Will Smith, had been secretly separated for years. In a clip from her NBC News prime-time special with Hoda Kotb, the actor revealed she and the "Focus" star had been living "completely separate lives" ever since 2016. While she admitted she promised herself she would never divorce, their nearly 20-year-long marriage had reached its breaking point.
"Why it fractured ... that — that's a lot of things ... By the time we got to 2016, we were just exhausted with trying. I think we were both kind of just still stuck in our fantasy of what we thought the other person should be," she shared. Pinkett Smith later revealed in a segment of the "Drew Barrymore Show" that she and Will decided to stick it out, admitting, "We're staying together forever," adding that their separation efforts didn't stick.
The jaw-dropping separation reveal took its toll on their son Jaden, however, who reportedly struggled with the ups and downs of his parents' marriage alongside his sister. A source told Entertainment Tonight that Jaden and Willow feel bad for their father amidst the headlines, saying, "They know he has been going through a lot lately and this isn't helping. They wish some of their family's private matters remained private." As for now, Jaden can rest assured that his parents are in it for the long hall, as Pinkett Smith told Kotb (via Entertainment Tonight), "We love our family. And we love each other."
Smith treats fame as an 'experiment'
There are many ways people view fame, such as a symbol of status, power, or a platform, to name a few. An experiment, however, is typically not the first thing that comes to mind when rounding out that list. But things are quite different in the eyes of Jaden Smith, who revealed that he uses his celebrity status as a way to test scientific theories on the public.
Jaden made headlines in 2014 when a bizarre New York Times interview with his sister, Willow, made the rounds. In the feature, Jaden toted various hypotheses and confusing statements, including the notion that school "is not authentic because it ends," as well as the idea that time doesn't exist for him. After all, he can control its speed as he chooses, according to his beliefs about theoretical physics. The public was left wondering if the entire piece was a hoax, given Jaden's tendency to giving strange interviews.
According to Jaden, it's his world, and we're all just living in it. The "Karate Kid" actor admitted the interview was a part of his plan to pull one over on us less-famous folk. "Me and Willow are scientists," he explained to GQ, "so everything for us is a scientific test upon humanity." He added that the New York Times piece was a part of their master plan to gauge the public's reaction. "It's fun, bro. That's what a lot of people don't realize," Jaden shared. "... I feel like it's an honor, actually, for people to think I'm crazy."
Smith wasn't expected to follow in his parents' footsteps
Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith weren't the least bit concerned if their son chose a career outside of Hollywood. In an interview with BigBoyTV, Jaden admitted that while he built an impressive acting and music career for himself, he was never pressured by his parents to follow in their footsteps and become a household name.
"There was never that expectation," Jaden revealed, adding that becoming an actor had little to do with pleasing his parents and more to do with the environment he grew up in. "We knew that when I was young I would try to mess around making movies because my dad would just film me and my sister and we would make 'Tratrix,' [and] 'Matrix' spin-offs," he shared. "We would do all types of stuff. Already improvising things."
While Jaden's parents attempted to give him a normal childhood, his idea of normal was far different from his peers. "I thought everybody's parents made movies and I thought that everyone made movies with their kids, too," the "Pursuit of Happyness" star admitted. While Jaden took to the industry like a natural, it came with a whole lot more responsibility than the average kid is used to. "They would be having a meeting about their next film or something and they would put me at the head of the table," Jaden explained, adding, "... I am very happy that I spent my childhood with more adults than I did with kids my age."
His parents tried to prepare him for the fame machine
Despite Jaden Smith's parents' unwavering support, Will and Jada Pinkett Smith did their best to prepare their children for the dog-eat-dog world of Hollywood. But even as an adult, Jaden admitted he still struggles to understand just how much of an influence his parents have on the rest of society.
"I didn't understand and I'm still understanding more and more every day that they're just a staple in the world and they make people feel a type of way that nobody has ever made anyone feel," the actor admitted in his BigBoyTV interview. Pinkett Smith and Will warned Jaden about the unforgiving spotlight that comes with celebrity status, however, like living in the shadow of his parents' accomplishments. "They made us aware of it before we even found out from other people that there was this expectation on us," Jaden recalled. "They said, 'Hey people out there in the outside world, they're gonna say this and they're gonna say you have to live up to our expectations of what we've done and what we've accomplished in our lives and you have to live with that."
It's those expectations that may be the reason that Jaden decided to take his time when he ventured into his career as a musician. "Honestly, you know, people haven't really heard my music until now, but I've been working on it for eight years," Jaden explained. "... All that growth is what really got me to the point where I can start to begin to pave my own road."
Smith uses his platform to make bold statements
If Jaden Smith's bizarre interviews are any indication, it's no secret that the "Summertime in Paris" singer is not afraid to make bold statements. Whether he's attempting another one of his fame experiments, or simply using his right to self-expression, Smith's statements on social media have often left fans wondering. "How Can Mirrors Be Real If Our Eyes Aren't Real" the singer tweeted in 2013. The actor was at it again in 2018 when he wrote, in English, "I Am Not A Human And I Don't Speak English." While there seems to be no rhyme or reason to his eccentric statements, one can't help but applaud Smith's unique online presence.
It's not just social media that the "Karate Kid" star uses to express himself, however, as Smith uses his go-big-or-go-home attitude in fashion as well. The actor took to Instagram in 2015 to post a photo of himself in what seems to be a knee-length dress, captioning the photo, "Went To TopShop To Buy Some Girl Clothes, I Mean 'Clothes.'" Smith championed gender-neutral apparel yet again when he posed in a skirt for a Louis Vuitton campaign, posting a photo to his Instagram, writing: "Thank You So Much @louisvuitton And @nicolasghesquiere For The Opportunity To Impact This World." Smith hopes to use his platform to help prevent bullying, telling Nylon, "... In five years when a kid goes to school wearing a skirt, he won't get beat up and kids won't get mad at him."
If you or someone you know needs help with mental health, please contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741, call the National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), or visit the National Institute of Mental Health website.
His parents inspired him to open a business feeding the homeless
Jada Pinkett Smith and Will Smith's decision to get Jaden involved in charity at a young age inspired the actor in more ways than one. While it helped humble the actor, it also helped inspire his entrepreneurial spirit.
At the ripe age of 21 years old, the "Karate Kid" actor opened his own business, a vegan pop-up food truck called the "I Love You Restaurant." As per Revolt, the food venture served those in need living on Skid Row by offering them free meals. He announced the launch of the food truck in 2021 in a since-deleted Instagram post, writing, "The @ILoveYouRestaurant Is A Movement That Is All About Giving People What They Deserve, Healthy, Vegan Food For Free. Today We Launched Our First One Day Food Truck Pop-Up in Downtown LA. Keep A Look Out Because This Is The First Of Many #JADENinc."
As per LiveKindly, the food truck offered meals sourced by Impossible Foods, a popular vegan food brand, as well as boxed waters from Smith's brand JUST Water. The actor partnered with New Balance to give sneakers to those in need, as well as clothing from MSFTSRep. The sky's the limit for the actor, who told Variety he plans to open a physical restaurant as well, all in the name of helping the homeless. "But if you're not homeless, not only do you have to pay, but you have to pay for more than the food's worth so that you can pay for the person behind you," he revealed.
He supported his father amidst his controversial Oscars slap
It was the slap seen around the world. Will Smith landed a giant smacker on Oscars host Chris Rock during the 2022 awards show, in a moment that will forever live in Hollywood infamy. The incident occurred after Rock made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith's hairstyle, which is a result of her alopecia hair condition. The "Girls Trip" star has previously spoken out about the decision to shave her head after alopecia caused her hair to fall out.
Rock was delivering a monologue before announcing the nominees for Best Documentary Feature when he compared Pinkett Smith's hair to Demi Moore's "G.I. Joe" character. "Jada, I love you. 'G.I. Jane 2,' can't wait to see it, all right?" Rock said (via the Independent). When Smith walked on stage to accept his award for Best Actor for his role in "King Richard," he proceeded to slap Rock in the face before walking off. The incident had the "After Earth" star banned from the Oscars for 10 years and caused a shockwave in the media.
Jaden seemingly supported his father amidst the controversy, taking to X, formerly known as Twitter, to share his thoughts. "And That's How We Do It," the singer quipped after the show aired. While it's unclear if he was referencing the slap specifically, fans believed it to be a nod to his father's outburst.
Smith has been the victim of cyber attacks
Jaden Smith has had to learn the hard way that growing up famous often means being prey to online bullies. The "Ninety" singer is no stranger to making controversial statements online, which opened the floodgates to public opinion, but things got a bit harrier in 2022 when rumors online suggested the actor had died an untimely death.
As per The Sun, online trolls suggested the star had died in a car crash, with fans taking to social media platforms to try and find the truth. "RIP Jaden!" one fan tweeted, with another user questioning, "Why am I hearing everywhere that Jaden Smith has died? What is going on?" It all turned out to be false, with Smith being the center of a cruel social media hoax. Smith added fuel to the fire when he tweeted "Invisible" amidst the controversy, seemingly referencing fans' concerns that he hadn't been seen out and about.
Unfortunately, Smith fell victim to another hoax in 2023 when Snopes debunked another rumor that suggested his father, Will, had announced his death. At the time, Google was receiving an alarming number of searches for "Did Jaden Smith die?" which promoted fact-checking.
If you or someone you know needs help with mental health, please contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741, call the National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), or visit the National Institute of Mental Health website.