Jada Pinkett Smith
An actress and talk show host who evolved into a candid cultural commentator, openly discussing marriage, family, and personal wellness.
Born 1971 (age 55)·American actress·Birthday: September 18·Generation X
Biography
Jada Pinkett Smith built a career on defying easy categorization. She first gained attention in the 1990s with sharp, street-smart roles in films and TV, establishing herself as a distinctive presence outside of typical Hollywood ingénue parts. Her marriage to Will Smith made them a powerhouse couple, but Pinkett Smith consistently forged her own path—fronting a metal band, Wicked Wisdom, and launching businesses. Her most significant modern impact came with 'Red Table Talk', the intimate talk show she hosts with her family. The show's frank conversations about relationships, mental health, and controversy reshaped the daytime format and cemented her role as a facilitator of difficult public dialogues. She navigates fame on her own terms, embracing complexity and vulnerability.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Jada was born in 1971, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Jada Was Born
The biggest hits of 1971
#1 Movie
Fiddler on the Roof
Best Picture
The French Connection
#1 TV Show
Marcus Welby, M.D.
Jada's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1971Born
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1976Started school
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1984Became a teenager
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1987Could drive
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1989Could vote
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1992Turned 21
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
2001Turned 30
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2011Turned 40
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2021Turned 50
January 6 Capitol breach; COVID vaccines roll out globally
Gas: $3.01/galHome: $298,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Levitating" — Dua LipaBest Picture: CODA
2026Age 55 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Co-created and hosts the Emmy-winning talk show 'Red Table Talk' on Facebook Watch.
- Founded the production company 100% Women, focused on female-driven content.
- Starred as the lead character, Fish Mooney, in the Batman prequel TV series 'Gotham'.
- Was named one of Time magazine's 100 most influential people in the world in 2021.
Did You Know?
She attended the Baltimore School for the Arts, where she was classmates with Tupac Shakur.
She is the author of a series of children's books called 'Girls Hold Up This World'.
She was the lead singer of the nu metal band Wicked Wisdom, which toured with Britney Spears.
She and Will Smith have a 'life partnership' and have discussed being separated since 2016.
“The only person that can really reject you is you.”
