Williow Smith Jada Pinkett Smith supervise a photo shoot for daughter Willow in Paris

Amber Rose attends SWAGG Lounge at Opening Day of Bridgehampton Polo Challenge

Chris Brown joined Usher on stage at Reggae Sumfest in Montego Bay JA

Willow & Jada in Paris

John Legend performs live during Harlem Week in NYC.

Singer Kelly Rowland arrives at Sydney International Airport

Kimora Lee is spotted filming her new reality show in Los Angeles

Laila Ali attends 12th Annual HollyRod Foundation Design Care Event

Mary J. Blige out and about in NYC.

Omarosa Manigault-Stallworth attends the premiere of 'Cats vs. Dogs'

Singer Rihanna attends the exclusive after party for Rihanna's LA show hosted by Asics and Drai's Hollywood at Drai's Hollywood

Serena Williams, Christina Milian hed to a bar after dinner at Madeo restauarant in Hollywood

Actor Will Smith poses with Jaden Smith (L) and Willow Smith (C) and wife Jada Pinkett Smith (R) as they attend "The Karate Kid" film premiere at Le Grand Rex in Paris, France.

Photo Credit: Getty Images, Meetthefamous,Splash,Wire Images, Bauer Griffin

Actor Djimon Hounsou and Kimora Lee Simmons arrive at the "Inception" Los Angeles Premiere

Sanaa Lathan attends Louis Vuitton and VANITY FAIR Cocktail Party in NYC

Dwyane Wade and Alonzo Mourning Summer Groove Golf Classic

The Smith's attend THE Gala Pemiere of the karate Kid held at the Odeon Cinema in leicester square in London.

Bow Wow and Angela Simmons attend the Trina Turk 2011 fashion show during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Swim in Miami

Singer Brandy Norwood attends a pre-ESPYs party

Denzel Washington and his wife Pauletta in Portofino, Italy

Actress Halle Berry dresses her daughter Nahla in an identical outfit to her own for a day of fun at the park.

Actress Halle Berry dresses her daughter Nahla in an identical outfit to her own for a day of fun at the park.

Jay-Z leaving Industria Superstudios in NYC.

Vivica Fox arrives at Serena William's Pre-Espys Party

Photo Credit: SplashNews/Getty/Wire Images/WENN

Jaden, Willow, & Jada Smith

More pics after the drop....

Ashanti

Vivica Fox

Neptunes

Kim Coles

Eva Pigford

Diddy

Jada on The View

Jada Pinkett Smith hit up “The View” on Monday to discuss the season premiere of her TNT series “HawthoRNe,” her spicy marriage to Will Smith and her son Jaden’s performance in “The Karate Kid”.

Smith also explains how her daughter Willow inspired her to pose nude for one of the two available covers of Essence magazine’s current issue.

Five months pregnant Alicia keys and her fiance Swizz Beatz leaves the healing tree in Illovo on the KZN South Coast with her entourage after receiving a zulu blessing for her baby and relationship with Beatz in Illovo, South Africa

Tyra Banks gives a thumbs up as she flashed her engagement ring as she left a photo shoot

Estelle & Sean Paul attend the Malibu Run first day of summer with a kick-off event on the Tribeca Rooftop in NYC

Sean Combs visits "Late Show With David Letterman" at the Ed Sullivan Theater

Rihanna is spotted leaving Barabdos

LaLa Vasquez and Ciara leave Prime 112 restaurant where Ciara hosted a bachelorette dinner for LaLa Vasquez

LaLa Vasquez with Ciara at a bachelorette party

Jay-Z visits "Late Show With David Letterman" at the Ed Sullivan Theater

Jada Pinkett Smith headed to Late Night With Jimmy Fallon to promote her new movie, Despicable Me, in which she is the voice of Margo in the animated movie.

Erykah Badu performs in concert at The Greek Theatre in Los Angeles, California

Photo Credit: Wire Images/Getty Images/Splashnews

Jada Pinkett Smith’s second season of TNT’s Hawthorne will return on Tuesday, June 22nd, at 9pmEST/8pmCST. Jada plays the character, Christina Hawthorne, a single mother and a full-time registered nurse.

Check out the sneak preview of the second season below…

Don't forget to watch the premiere Tuesday, June 22nd at 9pm EST!!

Vivica A. Fox attends the 3rd annual Geminis Give Back at 1OAK in NYC

Usher showed the photographers some bike skills while riding his moutain bike with one hand only on sunset blv in West Hollywood

Catch up with your favorite celebs right here.

Angela Bassett poses for a photo on the red carpet at the 2010 Apollo Theater Spring Benefit Concert & Awards Ceremony

1st Lady Michelle Obama and Malia Obama having a good time at the NBA Finals

Mehcad Brooks and his girlfriend have dinner at Po in New York City.

Meagan Good arrive at club Trousdale in West Hollywood

Mary J. Blige attends the Catherine Malandrino Fashion Show benefiting FFAWN at The Museum of Modern Art in NYC

Actor Malik Yoba hosts the 2010 Art of Horology cocktail fundraiser at de Castellane Gallery in New York City.

Laila Ali & family attend The Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric Aids Foundation's "A Time For Heros" picnic in L.A.

Kelly Roland performs Christopher Street West's 40th Anniversary LA PRIDE Parade in West Hollywood

Kelis performs at LGBT Pride Festival in West Hollywood

Brandy is seen at Philippe Chow restaurant in Los Angeles

Jay-Z performs during the 2010 Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival in Tennessee

Beyonce attends Jay-Z's performance during the 2010 Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival

Photo Credit: Getty Images, Splash News, Wire Images

Beyonce, Jay-Z, Will & Jada Smith

Black hollywood's finest attended the 64th Annual Tony Awards held at Radio City Music Hall on (June 13).

Actor Denzel Washington won (Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play) and actress Viola Davis (Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play) who co-star in the hit Broadway play FENCES, both walked home with TONY awards.

Also in attendance were actors Will and Jada Smith, and Jay-Z and Beyonce, who all share producing credits for FELA!. Check out more photos below and click here to view the full list of winners.

Other winners of the night included the critically acclaimed play FELA!, which won for Best Costume Design of a Musical, Best Sound Design of a Musical and Best Choreography (Bill T. Jones).

Will & Jada Smith

Jay-Z & Will

Denzel & Pauletta Washington

Paula Abdul

Michelle Williams

Kerry Washington

Will & Jada

Davidalan Grier & Kerry Washington

Beyonce and Jay-Z

Berry Gordy

Aretha Franklin

The Many Shades of Jada, from TV Nurse to Karate Kid’s Mom

Besides playing the title character on the TNT series HawthoRNe, which is starting its second season, Jada Pinkett Smith executive-produces the show through her production company, 100% Womon. With her husband, Will Smith, she is serving as producer of The Karate Kid, starring their son, Jaden, and also of Fela!, the Broadway musical nominated for 11 Tony Awards. Jada’s recent film credits include Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa, as the voice of Gloria, and director Diane English’s remake of The Women.

In the past, she’s teamed up with Adam Sandler and Don Cheadle in Reign Over Me, and enjoyed a pivotal role opposite Tom Cruise and Jamie Foxx in Michael Mann’s Collateral. However, she perhaps remains best known as the take-charge Niobe of Matrix Reloaded and Matrix Revolutions fame.

Here, Jada reflects on the challenge of balancing career and family when each member is a showbiz celebrity in his or her own right.

Kam Williams: Thanks for the time, Jada. It’s nice to have an opportunity to speak with you again.

Jada Pinkett Smith: Oh, thank you!

KW: Well, first of all, let me say congratulations! You’re blossoming on every front. Let’s see, HawthoRNe’s starting its second season, you’re going t be on the cover of the July issue of Essence magazine, your Broadway musical has been nominated for 11 Tonys, and Jaden is starring in The Karate Kid, a picture you and Will produced. How does it feel?

JPS: It feels good. These are the moments that you keep in your back pocket to remember, “All of those were good times!” [Laughs]

KW: I told my readers I’d be interviewing you, and I think they often come up with better questions than I do. So why don’t I start right of with some of them. Lester Chisholm says, “Thank you for the production of Fela,” and asks, “What would suggest as a lifestyle to keep young entertainers focused?”

JPS: Wow… Whew! Man, that’s a hard one, because part of the challenge of being young is finding what to be focused on. It’s a time of exploration when you have to discover who you’re not, in order to know who you are. I would say being deeply involved in the art world would help keep a young artist on track. Doing what you love, so that your focus is your artistry.

KW: Reverend Florine Thompson and filmmaker Hisani Dubose had the same question: What is the key to balancing motherhood, marriage and such a successful career?

JPS: Staying true to yourself, and being able to prioritize. It’s very important to prioritize. I know, for me, my family comes first. That makes every decision very easy.

KW: Children’s book author Irene Smalls Are there any arenas left for you to conquer?

JPS: [LOL] Definitely! And I’m always looking for them. But as I’ve gotten older, and now that my kids are starting to do what they do, I am now really focusing on sharing my knowledge and insights with them to help guide them on their journeys.

KW: Attorney Bernadette Beekman observes that you and Will come across as down-to-earth and very family-centric. She wants to know, how you keep your family values intact with the children becoming stars themselves? Do they have chores and an allowance?

JPS: [Laughs] They definitely have chores, and they get an allowance from money they make, believe it or not. I think that critical to keeping them balanced is giving them purpose, and part of giving them purpose is allowing them to do things that they love to do, which is being part of this industry. And as wacky as that might seem, it allows them to contribute to the family, and it allows them to develop their own self-worth. And I feel that when a child has self-worth and purpose, that’s what keeps them grounded.

KW: Cinema Professor Mia Mask asks, do you think the roles for women of color -- black women in particular -- have improved?

JPS: I’d say they’ve improved, but there still aren’t enough. And I’d say that’s the case, not only for African-American women, but for all women in the Hollywood game. It’s just slim pickings, and a very challenging time for us. I think that’s why more of us need to work our way behind the camera in order to create roles that really illuminate who women are. We still have room for growth in that area, without a doubt.

KW: Marcia Evans says that she’s a true fan of yours because she really respects the mature manner in which you approach being a wife and mother. She wants to know whatever happened to your TV sitcom "Good News."

JPS: I never had a show by that name, but I did have one called “M.I.L.F. and Cookies,” that got picked up and was set to air until the network and I had a disagreement at the last minute. They wanted to change the concept a bit in a way I wasn’t in agreement with, so we had to go our separate ways.

KW: Is there any question no one ever asks you, that you wish someone would?

JPS: I’m sure there is, but I really can’t think of one right now.

KW: Larry Greenberg says Richmond, Virginia is a beautiful and unique choice for the setting of Hawthorne. Were you involved in that decision?

JPS: We felt like Richmond was an area that’s growing, but hasn’t really been explored on television at all, in the way that New York, Los Angeles and Chicago have. So, we decided it would make a great location.

KW: The Tasha Smith question: Are you ever afraid?

JPS: Yes.

KW: The Columbus Short question: Are you happy?

JPS: I am happy. I have my moments when I’m not, but I am. I’m very happy.

KW: The music maven Heather Covington question: What are you listening to on your iPod?

JPS: Oh, I’m listening to so much right now. I looooove Alicia Keys’ new song, “Unthinkable.” I’m blasting that all over the place, but I’m also listening to Sade’s new album, and I always have my Heavy Metal, Mastodon. [LOL]

KW: The bookworm Troy Johnson question: What was the last book you read?

JPS: I’m reading a book right now by John Dewey called “Art as Experience.”http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0399531971?ie=UTF8&tag=thslfofire-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0399531971
That has been a very interesting read for me. And I’m also reading one called The Heart of Sufism, which is about a more esoteric approach to Islam.  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/157062402X?ie=UTF8&tag=thslfofire-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=157062402X

KW: When you look in the mirror, what do you see?

JPS: Oh, man, when I look in the mirror, I see about a thousand different Jadas... Yeah…

KW: What is your favorite dish to cook?

JPS: I don’t really cook much. I’m more of a baker. My favorite things to bake that everybody loves, and I can only keep in the house for about ten minutes, are 7-Up cake and Pineapple Upside-Down cake.

KW: The Teri Emerson question: When was the last time you had a good laugh?

JPS: Oh, I laugh hard every day. I mean, my husband is Will Smith! [Shrieks] I’m telling you, that’s one of the joys of being married to him. My life full of laughter. Thank God I have him. My life is full of laughter because of that man.

KW: How do you want to be remembered?

JPS: I don’t know yet. I have no idea.

KW: Well, thanks for another great interview, Jada, and best of luck in all your endeavors.

JPS: Thank you, Kam.

To get a sneak peek at HawthoRNe Season 2 which premieres on TNT on June 22nd at 9 PM, visit: http://www.tnt.tv/dramavision/?cid=47834

Beyonce, Jada Pinkett-Smith, Jay-Z, & Will Smith

Fellow FELA! producers Will Smith, Jada Pinkett-Smith, Jay-Z & Beyonce pose for some quick photos last night for the plays post-reception.

Beyonce, Jada Pinkett-Smith, Jay-Z, & Will Smith

Will & Jada

Recently, Jada Pinkett Smith sat down with Oprah to explain how she keeps her marriage to Will Smith hot and spicy.  Take notes ladies...

Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith

Some celebs got charitable this weekend as they hit up the American Red Cross Fundraising Gala in Santa Monica this weekend.

More fun pics...

Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith

Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith

Fergie and her hubby Josh

Fergie

Singer Rihanna arrives at Nickelodeon's 23rd Annual Kids' Choice Awards

Celebs and their fams hit the 2010 Kids’ Choice Awards.  Check out some pics of the celebs arriving to the Awards held at UCLA’s Pauley Pavilion on Saturday (March 27).

Actress Jada Pinkett Smith and daughter Willow Smith

Model/TV personality Tyra Banks Snoop & wife Shante

Actress and singer Keke Palmer

Terry Crews and family

Rapper Snoop Dogg and family

Swizz Beatz and kids

Will and Jada Smith

Rev Run and The Simmons Family

Rihanna

Zoe Saldana

Mel B

Chris Rock & Family

Photo Credit: Getty Images

Now, not only is she playing her first lead role in a TV-series on Hawthorne, but she is also the show's executive producer. Ms. Pinkett Smith's recent work includes lending her voice to the role of Gloria in Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa.  She previously co-starred in the remake of The Women, and is perhaps best known for her portrayal of Niobe in the The Matrix: Reloaded and The Matrix: Revolutions.

Choosing her roles carefully, Jada appeared opposite Adam Sandler and Don Cheadle in Reign Over Me for Columbia Pictures, as well as playing a pivotal role opposite Tom Cruise and Jamie Foxx in Collateral. Some of her other credits include Menace II Society, Jason's Lyric, A Low Down Dirty Shame, The Nutty Professor, Set It Off and Scream 2, as well as voice work for Princess Mononoke.

Just as she does in front of the camera, Jada continually challenges herself offscreen with new and exciting projects.

For example, her eye for excellence helped her, as executive producer, to turn the best-selling novel The Secret Life of Bees into a hit movie that earned itself the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Motion Picture earlier this year.

Here, she shares her thoughts about her new show, HawthoRNe, where she'll be playing the title character, a recently-widowed, single-mom who works as the compassionate chief nurse at mythical Richmond Trinity Hospital. This new dramatic series airs tonight and every Tuesday on TNT on at 9:00 PM (ET/PT).

Kam Williams: Hi, Jada. Thanks for the time.

Jada Pinkett Smith: Thank you.

KW: Before we start, I hope you could answer this trivia question. I recently interviewed Rashida Jones and I was asking her about the opening sequence of every episode of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Towards the end of the theme song, when Will gets out of the taxi, I always assumed that the cabdriver was Quincy Jones. Looks just like him. When I asked Rashida, she said had never heard that rumor before, and that she didn't know for sure, but she didn't think it was her father. Can you settle the mystery once and for all and tell us whether that's Quincy behind the wheel?

JPS: Yes I can. That cabdriver was not Quincy Jones. If I remember correctly, Will said he was actually somebody from Philly. And it's a cabdriver for sure. I just can't remember what the story is. But it absolutely is not Quincy Jones.

KW: Thanks for clearing that up. My favorite film of yours is Bamboozled. Which is your favorite?

JPS: Oh, man, I don't think I've made it yet, to be honest with you. I don't think I've made my favorite film yet. But I loved Bamboozled. Bamboozled to me is off the chain. It's definitely in the ranking. I loved Bamboozled.

KW: What interested you in returning to TV to do HawthoRNe?

JPS: I was not looking to do television at all. I got a phone call from my manager, Miguel Melendez, and he says, "Listen, I really - I want you to read this script. I would never send this to you if I didn't think it was fantastic." I read it and then I let my husband read it. I was really interested in the project, and after a bit of back-and-forth I decided, you know what, I'm just going to go for it. I had vowed I'd never television again. But I decided to take it because I needed something different.

KW: Was the fact that you'd be going to TNT important?

JPS: Well, I would say going to TNT was what closed the deal for me. Once I met everybody there, I really loved the group at TNT, and I liked what their expectations were for the show. So, I just felt this really could be a beautiful marriage.

KW: Since you started playing a nurse, has your family started expecting you to cure their ailments?

JPS: Well, my mother is a nurse. So she is pretty much the nurse of the family.

She has gotten that kind of locked down. So no, I'd have to say my family pretty much knows that in real life any type of physical traumas like cuts and bruises and anything like that, you've got to call - that you've got to call gammy for that.

KW: Does it mean anything to you that other than Jill Scott, you're now the only black female lead on a drama on television right now?

JPS: I hadn't really thought about that. I'm really grateful for the opportunity- but I just want to make a great show. I'm hoping that people can just see a great show, whether it's an African-American, an Asian, or a Native American that's standing at the forefront. History-wise, there was probably a point in time when I wouldn't have had this opportunity. So, to have this opportunity is a big deal for me. I'm very grateful for it.

KW: Are there any plans for any of your children to appear on the series?

JPS: As of right now, no.

KW: Judging by your mother-in-law on the show, Joanna Cassidy, I assume that your late husband was white or at least half-white. Will your daughter's character being mixed be explored at all on the show?

JPS: There definitely probably will be some exploring of it later on in the season.

KW: Given Will's success with the Fresh Prince, has he given you any tips on doing a series?

JPS: Sure, my husband has a plethora of information to share. He is here with me, and he has really offered me an extraordinary amount of help on this particular project. I'm grateful for him.

KW: How have you been handling all the blood in the medical scenes?

JPS: There won't be much gore on the show. There was one scene where somebody had an open gash on their leg and that kind of caught me off-guard. I'm really not one for a lot of physical gore like that, which is why my mother is very surprised about that I'm playing nurse. But on this show, we really are dealing more with how people are being affected by their ailment s versus focusing on the ailments themselves.

KW: Diahann Carroll, as Julia, played the first black nurse in a title role on TV back in the Sixties. Do you feel any type of connection to that history?

JPS: I do, I do feel connection to that history, absolutely - because she's the only prominent black female nurse that I can think of who's been on television. I feel both for that character and for Diahann Carroll as an actress, and I appreciate the road that she and paved for me to even have the possibility of being an actress in Hollywood.

KW: I know your mother's a nurse. What does your dad do for a living?

JPS: My father has been in construction for pretty much all his working years.

KW: How old were you when you knew you wanted to be an actress?

JPS: I was about three when I wanted to be an actress. I knew that I would definitely be participating in Hollywood in some way. I didn't know the amount of success I would enjoy, but I knew I would be here at some capacity.

KW: Tell me a little about your friendship with Tupac while in performing arts school.

JPS: Tupac and I were just close friends because we had such an insatiable drive and passion for acting and entertainment. It was inevitable as far as we were both concerned.

KW: Thanks again for the interview, Jada, and best of luck to you with the new show.

JPS: Thank you.