Pinkett Smith was born Jada Koren Pinkett in Baltimore, Maryland, the daughter of Adrienne Banfield, the head nurse of an inner-city clinic in Baltimore, and Robsol Pinkett, Jr., who runs a construction company. Her parents divorced after only a few months of marriage and her mother has since re-married twice; Her mother became pregnant with her while still in high school. Pinkett Smith majored in theatre at the Baltimore School for the Arts, where she met classmate Tupac Shakur with whom she developed a close friendship. In the documentary Tupac: Resurrection, Shakur says, "Jada is my heart and soul. She will be my friend for my whole life." Also in this documentary, Pinkett Smith calls Shakur "one of my best friends. He was like a brother. It was beyond friendship for us. The type of relationship we had, you only get that once in a lifetime." The two remained close friends until Shakur's death in 1996. After graduating from the Baltimore School for the Arts, Pinkett Smith then spent a year at the North Carolina School of the Arts before dropping out to pursue her career in acting. Pinkett Smith is an honorary member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc.
Pinkett Smith married rapper/actor Will Smith on December 31, 1997, and together they had a son, Jaden Christopher Syre Smith (b. July 8, 1998); and a daughter, Willow Camille Reign Smith (b. October 31, 2000). The two met when Pinkett auditioned for Lisa Wilkes in the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. She is also a stepmother to Smith's son from a former marriage with Sheree Zampino, named Willard Christopher Smith III. Jada Pinkett Smith co-founded the Will and Jada Foundation with her husband Will Smith. The foundation gives money towards youth educational projects and helps deprived children from inner cities and their families. In December 2006, Jada donated $1 million to the Baltimore School for the Arts, in memory of her friend and late rapper Tupac Shakur.
Quick Info
Born Jada Koren Pinkett
September 18, 1971, Baltimore, Maryland,United States
Other name(s) Jada Koren
Spouse(s) Will Smith (1997-Present)
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