Jada Pinkett Smith

JADA PINKETT SMITH has proven herself to be one of the most versatile and talented stars today, both on and off screen.

As an actress, Pinkett Smith has amassed an impressive list of film and television credits, including "Hawthorne," the TNT series that ran from 2009-2011, for which she also served as an executive producer. She starred opposite Adam Sandler and Don Cheadle in "Reign Over Me" for Columbia Pictures, and played a pivotal role opposite Tom Cruise and Academy Award-winner Jamie Foxx in Michael Mann's "Collateral." She is perhaps best known as the take-charge Niobe in the hugely successful sequels "Matrix Reloaded" and Matrix Revolutions."

Through her production company, 100% Womon, Pinkett Smith wrote, directed and co-starred in "The Human Contract" opposite leads Jason Clarke and Paz Vega. Her previous effort at putting pen to paper resulted in the New York Times bestseller "Girls Hold Up This World," published in 2005.

In 2010, Pinkett Smith assumed executive producer duties for the feature film "The Karate Kid," starring her son Jaden Smith. She was also an executive producer on "The Secret Life of Bees." Together with her husband Will Smith, Pinkett Smith was the creator and executive producer of the CW Network's "All of Us."

Beyond the medium of TV and film, the Smiths collaborated with record industry mogul Jay-Z to produce the Broadway musical hit "Fela!" which earned three Tony Awards. Focusing on her musical talent, Pinkett Smith became the lead singer of the rock band Wicked Wisdom, as they opened for Britney Spears during her Onyx Hotel Tour. Her musical project, a sensual ballad entitled "Burn," was released on iTunes on Valentine's Day 2012 and was dedicated to her husband.

Born and raised in Maryland, Pinkett Smith studied dance and acting at the Baltimore School of the Arts and North Carolina School of the Arts. Her big break came when she landed a role on the long-running NBC series "A Different World."

© 2012 DreamWorks Animation