Willow Smith often changes up her appearance © Axelle/Bauer-Griffin

Willow Smith's surprising reaction to Jada Pinkett Smith spilling family secrets

Willow is the daughter of Will and Jada Pinkett Smith

Senior Editor
October 18, 2023

In the realm of celebrity memoirs, few have garnered as much attention and speculation as Jada Pinkett Smith's latest book, Worthy. 

Jada’s candid revelations, particularly about her family, left readers astounded. However, while many braced for a potential fallout, the poised and introspective response from her daughter, Willow, painted a different picture entirely.

Opening up to InStyle, Jada delved into her family’s awareness and subsequent reactions to her revelations. "What I did was tell them what’s in the book, what stories I was going to tell about them specifically, and [ask] if they were okay with that,” she explained. 

Such forethought indicates the deep respect she holds for her family members, ensuring they were neither blindsided nor misrepresented.

© Instagram

Jada Pinkett-Smith posing by the beach with her husband Will Smith, stepson Trey Smith, and kids Jaden and Willow Smith

One reaction that particularly stands out is that of her daughter, Willow. Described by her mother as an "avid reader" with a book of her own slated for 2024, Willow's love for literature saw her immersing herself in Worthy before its final edit. 

Jada reminisced about her daughter's eagerness, sharing, “She couldn’t wait, she’s like, ‘Mom, I’m taking this copy. I got to finish my read.’ She was super excited about it.”

© Getty Images

Willow Smith

The Smith sons had a contrasting approach. Jada and her husband, actor Will Smith, have two sons: Jaden, 25, and Trey, 30 - the latter being Will’s child with ex-wife, Sheree Zampino. Rather than dive into the book immediately, Jada mentioned: “I just told them what was in it. They’ll read it eventually.”

Recent episodes of Red Table Talk and media engagements have seen Jada dropping one revelation after another. 

© Getty Images

Willow has been outspoken on social media since her mom spilled family secrets

Among the most startling admissions was the secret separation between her and Will since 2016. The strain on their marriage, as Jada described, reached a breaking point, “By the time we got to 2016, we were just exhausted with trying.” 

Yet, she also emphasized their shared commitment to their relationship, stating on “Today” that they're now in a “deep, healing space” and are intently focusing on "healing the relationship between us."

© Getty Images

Will Smith, with his award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for "King Richard", poses with his sons Trey Smith and Jaden Smith, daughter Willow Smith and wife Jada Pinkett Smith

Amid these revelations, Willow's manner of processing and communicating her emotions stood out. A scroll through her Instagram showcased a series of cryptic, often humorous memes that provided a unique window into her psyche. 

Posts such as "Willow be like: When the voices try to doubt myself" and another featuring a Family Guy-inspired meme with her face, remarking "Me after having a bad day," hinted at her reflective nature.

Willow's contemplative side was further underscored when she shared a thought-provoking post on 'resentment,' defining it as the act of "feeling something repeatedly (re-sentiment)." 

The post challenged its viewers, prompting introspection with the question: "'Do I want to keep feeling this way?' If the answer is no, then I get to remind myself that I can choose to feel differently

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