When Jada Pinkett Smith stopped by to gab about her latest movie, The Women, the subject was strictly girl talk; what else? That dynamic screen diva, also known as Ms. Will Smith off camera, had lots of strong opinions to share during this interview, including her lesbian with attitude character in the movie and what they may or may not have in common. Jada also touched on what's cooking in her own life, both literally and otherwise, as she dished out about personal kitchen therapy, gal pal-ing around, and too much information about childbirth when there's a really huge lack of privacy while your legs are way up in the air, in that stressed out delivery room.
JADA PINKETT SMITH: Hello, hello! Yes, indeed.
Hey, Jada. Since this movie is about women, what's your idea of the best women's night out?
JPS: Hmm...Hey, I don't know if I wanna talk about that in the press! Anyway, all my girlfriends are kinda different, you know? I have various eclectic women with whom I roll.
But in my older years, you know what I really like to do? And it's like the craziest thing. But this is how you know you're getting older! I like to bake.
Huh?
JPS: Yeah, I like to bake. I like to bring my girlfriends over to the house. You know, I love being in the kitchen, having my music on, and having my girlfriends around. And like making a 7-up cake.
And I take orders, too. You know, Jada, make those chocolate chip cookies of yours! Alright, girl. And then I get my daughter Willow down there. C''mon, Willow, let's make some of those chocolate chip cookies.
Then my son comes down, and he'll say, Ma, make some of those fudge cookies. Okay, so I'll make those fudge cookies. Then we'll do one of those upside-down pineapple cakes. And by that time, I''ve got a whole counter full of all this stuff!
Sounds like it gets a little crazy.
JPS: But I enjoy it. Yeah...
This movie is also about trust. Do you have any trust issues of your own?
JPS: Huh! Oh yeah. Trust is the core of my issues. I mean trust, that's the foundation of everything. You know, to have a real, strong sense of trust.
Like I had to learn to take my trust outside of the physical world, you know what I mean? And I really had to start finding trust in the spiritual world. And just with my higher understanding.
So I have more trust now than I ever have had before. But I really don't put my trust in the physical. I really just leave it upstairs. And that makes the whole physical thing safe.
Now, about that business in the movie of eating a stick of butter dipped in different types of goo when women are feeling blue, do you ever do that?
JPS: Um, when I was a little girl, I used to put my finger in the butter and then stick it in sugar.
You did that?
JPS: Yeah!
But are you like that now, like a lot of women who eat when they're depressed or angry?
JPS: I started doing that, yeah. But then I started to get a handle on that addiction. And I really had to catch myself. Like with sugar. Because, like I just said, I bake now!
You know, when I would be feeling bad, I'd say to myself, get to the kitchen and bake something, girl! Bake yourself something. And I just found myself eating cake all the time. It was crazy.
And then I'd just say, wait a minute. Gotta stop! Gotta stop this...
What do you think women provide in our lives that our men can't?
JPS: Well, I think. It's definitely just that unspoken understanding. You know, the one thing that we women have in common, no matter what our economic background or race, what have you, is that we are women, you know what I mean?
There is just a certain reality and certain things that come with that identity that we all understand innately, you know? And so we all share that, no matter what.
As far as men go, their experiences and perspectives of the world are different. But we understand what it feels like to be a woman, no matter where we are.
The Women also show betrayal by both men and women. Which do you think is worse, to be betrayed by a man or a woman?
JPS: Betrayal is just awful, any way it gets. Yeah. I mean, I've had it on both ends. And I've been on both ends. I did it, and it's been done to me, you know? And either way you cut it, it's a nasty thing.
So I guess you're a really loyal person.
JPS: Definitely, definitely.
Do you think forgiving a man is different in any way from forgiving a woman?
JPS: That's interesting. Forgiving a man... I think the act of forgiving is the same for everybody.
Are you anything like your character, Alex?
JPS: Hmm...Well, Alex is definitely a nice slice of Jada. You know, she's kind of one of those put it on the table women. But I hope that in my "more mature years, " I'll have a little bit more finesse with my truth than she does!
But I do like to say what's on my mind, to come around a little bit, and to tend to be a lot tougher than I really am, you know? So I would say yes, there are quite a few things I'd like to not have in common!
There''s also a lot about fashion in The Women. Would you say you have a sense of fashion?
JPS: Nah...
Well, Meg Ryan said they took a vote on the set about who has the best fashion sense, and you won.
JPS: Really! I like that.
Now, about this female bonding thing, can it go too far? Like all those women in the room while one of them is giving birth.
JPS: That was funny! But there were a lot of them in the room with me. Not that I wanted them there, but they sure were!
What was that like?
JPS: You're kinda like in a whole ''nother world anyway. Then the baby's born, and you hear all these voices, and you go, what the hell are all you people doing in here?
Like your legs are all up in the air. And you're going, what the hell! Yeah, I remember feeling just like that. What are y'all doing here? Like, get outta here!
Sounds like that made up your mind maybe, about no more kids.
JPS: No, I'd like to have ten more. But maybe not!
