Has Jada Pinkett Smith become “extremely demanding” to the point where she and her husband Will Smith have been unable to retain staff? Sources spoke to one major American tabloid and claimed the actress is “impossible to please,” and her talk show ambitions have alienated those around her, including her scandal-plagued husband. We look into the rumor and explain why these reports are popping up now in the aftermath of Will’s infamous Oscars slap.
Jada Pinkett Smith Too ‘Difficult?’
A report out of OK! Magazine, citing coverage from Us Weekly, claims Jada Pinkett Smith has become “increasingly difficult to deal with” behind the scenes to the point that she and her husband Will Smith are having trouble keeping staff. A suspicious, unnamed source told Us Weekly, “Will and Jada previously kept household staff for many years, with no complaints,” adding, “But within the last five years, Jada became extremely demanding, and they cycled through chefs, security guards, and trainers.”
Apparently, staff members aren’t the only people who have supposedly gotten fed up with Jada’s “demanding” nature. Will has reportedly “been unhappy for years,” the tipster insists, adding, “Jada is impossible to please.” Despite the fact that so many people around her are supposedly upset with her unspecified “demanding” behavior, a second source goes on to claim that Jada is so focused on her brand that nothing else matters to her.
Jada’s Talk Show Ambitions Trump All, Source Claims
“Jada is ferociously ambitious and she’s going all out to make her talk show a success,” the anonymous snitch explains. “It’s her top priority, and she doesn’t have time to be holding Will’s hand and acting as his de facto therapist,” the source continues, adding, “She expects him to man up, stop moping and pull himself together.”
Outside of the household, the celebrity couple is also struggling with a poor reputation among their peers, who “can’t stand” them, another insider claims, a reputation that pre-dated the infamous Oscars slap, which only “served to deepen the disdain.” The outlet also noted that Jada wasn’t the only part of the duo with “high demands.” The insider whispers, “On set, Will believes he deserves to have assistants at his beck and call, luxury trailers, and special meals catered to him. He thinks he knows best and he’s not afraid to share his opinion.”
Let’s Break This Rumor Down
There are a few things to address in regards to the rumor, so we’ll start big and work our way down the list. First of all, we can tell that this is just another made-up industry rumor based on the fact that there’s very little specific detail. Jada Pinkett Smith is described as “demanding” and “impossible to please,” but there are no specifications given. Jada is also “ambitious” which is somehow framed as a negative quality.
It’s also odd how Will is treated in the latter half of this piece. The source acts as if Will’s an on-set diva, but the so-called “demands” he made are usually offered up freely to A-list actors, especially if they, like Will often does, also produce the film. Why shouldn’t he, a veteran star actor, get a nice trailer or the meals he wants? Other actors on major movie sets are also assigned assistants, why is it a big deal that Will also requires them? At this rate, we’re only slightly surprised they didn’t call Will “uppity” for asking and receiving what his other acting peers already get.
Married Female Celebs Get This Treatment Often
The lack of details aside, this is the sort of marital coverage we’re used to seeing from the tabloids. If there’s one thing the tabloid industry loves, it’s positioning a successful woman as an unpleasant harpy, especially if she’s a married woman. Look at how Carrie Underwood, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jennifer Lopez, and so many other women are treated by the tabloid media. They’re portrayed as bossy, nagging, too caught up in work, etc. It’s honestly embarrassing to see coverage like this in 2022. We really thought we left this attitude towards working women back in the ‘80s, but alas that’s clearly not the case.
It doesn’t escape us that though it was Jada’s husband that behaved badly at the Oscars, it’s Jada herself who has reaped quite a bit of backlash, especially online and on social media. Bizarrely, even though she was the butt of the joke that set Will off, and though there’s no proof that she orchestrated the slap, many people have somehow blamed her for what happened. Even though this outlet isn’t going that far, it didn’t hesitate one second to paint Jada, with so little evidence to support its claim, as some sort of boss from hell.
Tabloids Clearly Can’t Stand Successful Women
The timeline supplied by the sources/outlets also clues us in to what this hit piece was really about. Red Table Talk, Jada’s Facebook Watch show, has been going strong since 2018, which as any mathematician would tell you is four years ago. Is it a coincidence that Jada became “increasingly difficult” and “extremely demanding” once a project she helmed became a success? If there’s one thing OK! and Us can’t stand, it’s a woman with agency who knows her own value.