Jada Pinkett Smith opens up about learning to “detach” from her hair after the 2022 Oscars.
During the ceremony, her husband, Will Smith, slapped comedian Chris Rock after he joked about the actress’ autoimmune condition, alopecia, which causes hair loss in affected individuals.
The “Red Table Talk” co-host shared that it’s hard to let go because her hair is an identifying part of being a black woman. Eventually, he was able to “dig deeper and see the beauty” of himself “beyond aesthetics.”
On February 15, the actress will debut a new documentary on Netflix, “African Queens.”
Read on to learn more.
‘It’s Been Hard’
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In an interview with UK guardian, Jada opens up about the lessons she learned after the slap scandal at the 2022 Oscars, per Deadline.
At the time, the actress’ husband, Will, slapped comedian Rock, one of the presenters at the event, for making a joke about Jada’s lack of hair.
The “King Richard” actor later faced criticism for his actions, which indirectly affected his family.
Jada said of the event that she learned a lot about “detachment.” Her comments reflect her choice to accept that she will live the rest of her life without hair on her head due to her alopecia.
However, choosing to let go was not easy, as he had to do a lot of self-introspection.
She said, “It’s a difficult, scary thing – because especially as black women, we identify a lot of ourselves with our hair. And it is scary. I had to really dig in and see the beauty of myself beyond my aesthetics.”
Jada Pinkett Smith On Navigating The Entertainment Industry
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Jada also discussed the challenges she faced starting her career in the entertainment industry decades ago. At the time, fewer black people were getting into acting, challenging Jada to “navigate the need to be less Black.”
He said: “Even something as simple as joining the game at such a young age, and how I had to navigate the need to be ‘less Black’. How do you navigate people who are threatened by your Blackness? Gotta really not take it personally and understand .”
Speaking further about the experience, the actress shared that it was a struggle to balance being insulted because of her color and not letting such reactions irritate her.
“‘OK, this is the land I’m on now,” the actor recalled his emotions at the time. “How can I navigate this without letting their discomfort with my Blackness rub off on me?’ That’s a tough thing to navigate.”
‘It’s About Being Clear About Who You Are’
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Jada goes on to say that such experiences have varying effects, depending on the outlook of the individual affected.
He said, “It’s something that can make you bitter, or it’s something that you can look at, not take personally, then dismiss.”
In the end, it comes down to finding the right balance between wisely compromising and trying your best to stick to the principles.
He continued, “There’s always a compromise you make that you hope won’t pull you out of your roots. That’s the difference between being confused or swallowed up and being someone else to get what you need. It’s about being clear about who you are.”
New Documentary Jada Pinkett Smith, ‘Queen of Africa’
The actress is set to debut her upcoming documentary “African Queens” on Netflix. It follows the lives of royal figures from African history, with the first season focusing on a 17th-century warrior queen named Njinga from Angola.
The film, which began airing on February 15, will feature expert interviews and re-enactments to tell the story of how the warrior queen ruled the country as the first female ruler.
As for why she chose to take on the project, Jada tells Netflix Tudum in an interview that she did so to represent black women.
She said, “We don’t often see or hear stories about Black queens, and that’s very important to me, and also to my daughter.[Willow], and only for my community to know the stories because there are many stories! The sad thing is that we do not have ready access to these historic women who are so powerful and are the backbone of African nations.”
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
