Jada Pinkett Smith Interview On 'HawthoRNe,' Women In Hollywood, Son Jaden Smith

Jada Pinkett Smith, the wife of Will Smith, is making a name for herself in her hit TNT show, Hawthorne. Taking the central role in the series, Smith focuses on the importance of taking on a lead female role on the big screen. “I think in Hollywood in general right now, leading roles for women is a very difficult thing,” she told Uinterview exclusively. “I feel very blessed to have this opportunity.”

Named after her mother’s favorite soap opera actress, Jada Rowland, Smith had a strong passion for performing arts at a young age. She was enrolled in tap dancing, piano, and ballet lessons, and later on attended the Baltimore School for the arts. She enrolled into the North Carolina School of the Arts to continue her education and begin her career in the acting business. She finally broke into the acting industry in 1990 when she starred in an episode of True Colors, a comedy sitcom on Fox. She acted alongside Wayans in the comedy film, A Low Down Dirty Shame, in which she played the role of Peaches, Wayan’s annoying sidekick. She is also very popular for her role as supporting character, Niobe in The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions in 2003.

In Hawthorne, which premiered in 2009, Smith plays Christina Hawthorne, a Chief Nursing Officer at Richmond Trinity Hospital, later moving into James Rivers Hospital. The show focuses on Hawthorne's efforts to adjust to the new work environment and on her relationship with Dr. Tom Wakefield.

Smith plays a central role not only in her hit series, but as a central role to all women in the film industry. “I wanted to be in partnership with TNT because they were focusing on creating very strong leading roles for women,” Smith said.