Jada Pinkett Smith Calls Taraji P. Henson ‘Courageous’ For Speaking Up About Pay Disparity In Hollywood As She Reveals People Have Justified Lowballing Her Because She’s ‘Married To Will Smith’

Jada Pinkett Smith, Will Smith, Taraji P. Henson

Jada Pinkett Smith Calls Taraji P. Henson ‘Courageous’ For Speaking Up About Pay Disparity In Hollywood As She Reveals People Have Justified Lowballing Her Because She’s ‘Married To Will Smith’

Another one of Taraji P. Henson’s Hollywood peers has stepped forward to show their support.

In a recent installment of NPR’s It’s Been a Minute podcast, actress Jada Pinkett Smith praised Taraji P. Henson for her bravery in speaking out about Hollywood’s pay disparity problem. She seemed to be quite pleased also with how the Emmy-Award-nominated actress expressed herself when talking about the ongoing issue.

Jada Pinkett-Smith

During the podcast episode, Jada Pinkett Smith said,

“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.” 

She continued,

“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 Pinkett-Smith

Jada Pinkett Smith went on to reveal some rather interesting information concerning her own personal experiences regarding being lowballed in Hollywood, suggesting that her famous marriage with Academy-Award-winning actor Will Smith has caused her to face such challenges.

Smith shared,

“People would literally say, ‘Well, you don’t need it. You’re married to Will [Smith].’”

While explaining that this mindset influenced her decision to transition to the production aspect of Hollywood to “remedy” the problem, Smith added,

“It’s not to say that I won’t get in front of the camera, 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.”

As previously reported, Taraji P. Henson, known for her roles in highly-acclaimed films like ‘Hustle & Flow’ and ‘Hidden Figures,’ went viral during the promotional tour for the 2023 musical adaptation of ‘The Color Purple’ in which she plays the vivacious Shug Avery.

In a December 2023 interview with Gayle King on SiriusXM, the celeb publicly revealed her contemplation of leaving the entertainment industry due to unequal pay compared to others in her field.

Henson said,

“I’m just tired of working so hard, being gracious at what I do, getting paid a fraction of the cost. I’m tired of hearing my sisters say the same thing over and over. You get tired.”

During the interview, Henson gave a brief financial breakdown. The actor argued that receiving a $10 million payment for a role doesn’t provide much flexibility after accounting for taxes and compensating a team of professionals.

She also stated,

“I’m only human and it seems every time I do something and I break another glass ceiling, when it’s time to renegotiate, I’m at the bottom again like I never did what I just did, and I’m tired. It wears on you. Because what does that mean? What is that telling you?”

What are your thoughts on Jada Pinkett Smith’s words about Hollywood’s pay disparity issue? Tell us in the comments below!

[VIA:1]