Will Smith Refutes Claims of Forcing Jaden and Willow Smith Into Show Business
Will Smith, the 44-year-old actor and father to budding thespians and musicians Willow and Jaden Smith, insists that he has not pushed his offspring into show business.
Smith recently spoke to New York magazine about the perception that some people may have about he and actress wife Jada Pinkett Smith forcing their children to follow in their parents' footsteps.
"It may seem like we have pushed our kids into the business, but that is absolutely insane," Will told New York magazine recently. "I would never, ever, push somebody to have their face on a poster that's going to be everywhere in the world."
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Earlier this year, Smith opened up about his daughter wanting to back away from entertainment while speaking at Temple University with author Sister Souljah for "Real Talk with Sister Souljah and Will Smith."
"Willow was supposed to be doing 'Annie,' we got Jay-Z to do the movie, got the studio to come in and Willow had such a difficult time on tour with 'Whip my Hair' and she said, 'You know Daddy, I don't think so,'" Smith revealed to the Temple University crowd. "And I said, 'Baby, hold up! I said no,no,no, listen, you'll be in New York with all of your friends and Beyoncé will be there. You will be singing and dancing,' and she looked at me and said, 'Daddy, I have a better idea, how about I just be 12.'"
Still, Smith's son Jaden has chosen to continue acting. Smith and his son are co-starring in the science fiction movie "After Earth" due in theaters May 31.
While he insists that his son decided to pursue acting on his own, the actor also spoke about how much easier it is for them to pursue the entertainment industry as opposed to other career paths.
"I have relationships with some of the biggest filmmakers and actors and producers on earth," the Smith patriarch told New York magazine. "So I can be a huge help."
