WILL and Jaden Smith in “After Earth”
Truth or Consequences, N.M.—Will Smith has a new outlook on teenagers: Parents do understand. The rapper-turned-actor says he’s “grown a lot” since writing the Grammy-winning 1988 hit that humorously declared they didn’t.
All three of his children now dabble in music and acting, most notably 14-year-old Jaden, who stars with his father in the new sci-fi film “After Earth.” Even in the midst of a globe-hopping promotional tour for the movie, Smith recognizes the downside to making stardom a family affair.
“The major risk of this business is strictly emotional,” he said in a recent interview. “The business has almost a narcotic quality, so it’s almost as if you’re introducing a drug into your kid’s life.
No ego involved
“So, for Jada (Pinkett-Smith) and I, the most important thing is for them to stay focused and grounded. You don’t make movies for your ego—you make movies to transfer information, to bring joy, and to add value to the world.”
At an “After Earth” promotional event, Smith does everything he can to playfully poke at his son’s ego: When Jaden loudly drops a water bottle during a TV interview, he’s quickly reprimanded: “You’re kidding, right? That’s the most unprofessional thing I’ve seen you do!”
Smith reaches over to shield his son’s face from bright camera lights, taunting the teen as a “super mega movie star, towering over you like a shadow. And you’re living in his shadow.”
Confidence
Jaden, obviously accustomed to the teasing, responds with calm confidence and some of dad’s hammy humor, saying he lives “naturally” in the spotlight.
Their film is set in a future where nature has turned on humans, and survivors are forced to start a new civilization on another planet.
Jaden plays a trainee trying to follow in the footsteps of his father, a famous military leader played by Will. When the two crash-land on an inhospitable Earth, Jaden’s character must prove his own abilities to survive—and save his father in the process! AP