Jada Pinkett Smith Reacts To Taraji P. Henson's Viral Comments About Pay Disparities In Hollywood

Jada Pinkett Smith is showing support for Taraji P. Henson  months after the Color Purple star went viral for getting emotional about facing pay disparities in Hollywood as a Black woman. 

While appearing on NPRs Its Been a Minute , Pinkett Smith, 52, was asked by host Brittany Luse if she resonated with Hensons words as a longtime Hollywood actor. 

Absolutely, the The Matrix Resurrections star said in an interview that published Tuesday. My heart broke for Taraji, and I was also happy [to see] how courageous she was to speak about it in the way that she did. 

Pinkett Smith continued, One of the things with Taraji is that she is the breadwinner of her family. Her pressures would be different than mine. I have to put that out front, because if its time to walk away, thats not always the solution.

She added: Because what people dont understand with us as Black entertainers, we carry a lot of people with us. 

Pinkett Smith, who has been married to Oscar winning actor Will Smith  for nearly 30 years, went on to share how being married to the superstar lessened her opportunities in the field. 

People would literally say, Well, you dont need [more money]. Youre married to Will [Smith], she explained to Luse. 

The Red Table Talk co-host noted that the unequal treatment has a lot to do with why she rarely takes on acting gigs these days,

Its not to say that I wont get in front of the camera, but what it takes for me to get in front of the camera, its more just in regards to the kind of roles that I want to play or that interest me, Pinkett Smith explained. She added that shes also been thinking about directing. 

Back in December, Henson, 53, broke down in tears over the unfair earnings gap during an interview with Gayle King on SiriusXM. 

Im just tired of working so hard, being gracious at what I do, being paid a fraction of the cost, Henson shared. Im tired of hearing my sisters say the same thing over and over. You get tired.

The Empire actor went on to explain that though she works consistently, the math aint mathing once she pays for the unseen costs associated with her career. 

Big bills come with what we do. We dont do this alone. The fact that were up here, theres a whole entire team behind us. They have to get paid, Henson added.