Jada Pinkett Smith

Photo of Jada Pinkett Smith

Biography

After appearing as a regular on "The Cosby Show" (NBC, 1984-1992) spin-off "Another World" (NBC, 1987-1993), Pinkett Smith delivered a number of impressive performances in films like "Menace II Society" (1993) and "Jason's Lyric" (1994). Before long, she was balancing mainstream family fare like Eddie Murphy's broad comedy "The Nutty Professor" (1996) with such gritty dramas as "Set it Off" (1996). After marrying Smith in 1997, she appeared …
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Job Title

Actor, Director, Producer, Writer, Other

Born

Jada Koren Pinkett on September 18, 1971 in Baltimore, Maryland, USA

Career Milestones

Made professional stage debut in a regional production of August Wilson's "Joe Turner's Come and Gone"

Moved to L.A. after attending the North Carolina School of the Arts for one year

1990

Acted in the unsold ABC-TV pilot "Moe's World"

1990

Made first TV appearance on the Fox sitcom "True Colors"

1990

Met Keenen Ivory Wayans through a friend and acquired an agent with Wayans' assistance

1991

Joined the cast of the NBC spin-off series "A Different World" as college freshman Lena James

1993

Made feature debut in crime drama "Menace II Society"

1994

Co-starred with Keenen Ivory Wayans (also wrote and directed) in "A Low Down Dirty Shame"

1994

First feature lead, "Jason's Lyric"

1996

Cast as Eddie Murphy's leading lady in the remake of "The Nutty Professor"

1996

Gained widespread recognition playing a female bank robber in "Set It Off"

1997

Landed minor part in the opening scene of "Scream 2"

1998

Played the title role in the romantic comedy "Woo"

2000

Appeared in the Spike Lee-directed satire "Bamboozled"

2001

Played Anthony Anderson's loudmouth wife in the comedy "Kingdom Come"

2001

Teamed onscreen with husband Will Smith in the Academy Award-nominated film "Ali"

2003

Co-starred as Niobe in the Wachowski Brothers' "The Matrix: Reloaded" and "The Matrix: Revolutions"

2004

Appeared in the film "Collateral" alongside Tom Cruise and Jamie Foxx

2004

Opened for Britney Spears's Onyx Hotel Tour with her rock-soul band Wicked Wisdom

2005

Voiced Gloria the Hippo in the animated feature "Madagascar"

2006

With her band Wicked Wisdom, released their self-titled debut album

2007

Played Don Cheadle's wife in Mike Binder's "Reign Over Me"

2008

Featured in Diane English's female ensemble "The Women," a remake of the 1936 play by Clare Boothe Luce

2008

Once again lent her voice to Gloria the Hippo in "Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa"

2008

Premiered her writing and directorial debut "The Human Contract" at the Cannes Film Festival

2009

Cast as head nurse Christina Hawthorne on the TNT medical drama "HawthoRNe"; also served as executive producer

2010

With husband Will, co-roduced feature remake of "The Karate Kid," starring their real-life son Jaden Smith

2012

Reprised voice role of Gloria the Hippo in "Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted"