Jada Pinkett-Smith voices her support for Taraji P. Henson and mentions her own encounters with unequal compensation in the film industry.
During a recent interview on NPR’s It’s Been a Minute podcast, Jada expressed how deeply she empathized with Henson after witnessing her emotional breakdown while discussing her ongoing struggle for equitable compensation in Hollywood. Pinkett-Smith also commended Henson for her bravery in openly addressing this issue.
“My heart broke for Taraji, and I was also happy [to see] how courageous she was to speak about it in the way that she did. One of the things with Taraji is that she is the breadwinner of her family. Her pressures would be different than mine. I have to put that out front, because if it’s time to walk away, that’s not always the solution. Because what people don’t understand with us as Black entertainers, we carry a lot of people with us,” Jada said.
Continuing, Jada elaborated on how some individuals attempted to justify her receiving a specific wage by saying, “‘Well, you don’t need it. You’re married to Will Smith.'”
Additionally, she further explained that this realization prompted her to reassess her involvement in front of the camera and redirect her focus towards honing her skills behind it.
“It’s not to say that I won’t get in front of the camera,” Jada added. “But what it takes for me to get in front of the camera, it’s more. Just in regards to the kind of roles that I want to play or that interest me. And I’m thinking about directing.”
The longstanding issue of equitable pay for Black actors has garnered increasing attention, particularly thanks to individuals like Henson, Gabrielle Union, Keke Palmer, Mo’Nique, and others who have openly shared their experiences and advocated for improved treatment and compensation.
