Jada Pinkett Smith to release ‘no holds barred’ memoir

Jada Pinkett Smith is releasing a “no holds barred” memoir, which will delve into her upbringing, her marriage and her experience of depression.

The publisher Dey Street, an imprint of HarperCollins, announced the news on Thursday 6 October.

It stated that, in the book, Pinkett Smith will reflect on “lessons learned in the course of a difficult but riveting journey – a rollercoaster ride from the depths of suicidal depression to the heights of personal rediscovery and the celebration of authentic feminine power”.

According to the announcement, the 51-year-old actor and Red Table Talk host will chronicle her “unconventional” Baltimore childhood, her friendship with the late rapper Tupac Shakur, her “complicated marriage” to actor Will Smith and her experience of being a mother to Jaden, 24, and Willow, 21.

“The world has imposed many labels and narratives on Jada Pinkett Smith,” Carrie Thornton, Dey Street Books VP and editorial director, said in a statement.

“This is down to the realities of our media landscape, but also the roles thrust upon women by culture. At the centre of all the speculation and false stories is a woman who, like so many women, has had to reconcile her personhood with the needs of those she loves.”

In an episode of Red Table Talk in 2018, Pinkett Smith opened up about the “nervous breakdown” she suffered when she moved from her native Baltimore to Los Angeles to become an actor.

Pinkett Smith was at the centre of controversy in March after Smith walked on stage at the Oscars and slapped comedian Chris Rock over a joke he made about his wife’s alopecia.

Earlier this week, it emerged that Smith will be entering the 2023 Oscars race with his slavery drama Emancipation.