JADA PINKETT SMITH (Rome) is a talented actress, producer, director, author, singer- songwriter and businesswoman.

Born and raised in Maryland, Pinkett Smith studied dance and acting at Baltimore School of the Arts and North Carolina School of the Arts. Her resourcefulness and determination led her to a variety of professional opportunities, most notably the series "A Different World," which launched her acting career on television. In 1993, she landed her first feature film role, playing a single mother in "Menace II Society," opposite Samuel L. Jackson. Next came a role in "Jason’s Lyric," opposite Allen Payne, and "The Nutty Professor," with Eddie Murphy, making her a household name in film.

In 1997, she married rapper and actor Will Smith, with whom she has two children: Jaden and Willow. She earned global praise for writing the children’s book Girls Hold Up The World, which landed on the New York Times Best Sellers list. The couple founded The Smith Family Foundation, dedicating their organization to urban inner-city youth and family support as a way to give back to the community.

Pinkett Smith’s acting career continued with "The Matrix: Reloaded" and "The Matrix Revolutions." In 2004, she won the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences, USA Award for Outstanding Achievement in Character Performance – Female for her role in the video game "Enter The Matrix." In 2005, she was featured in the animated movie "Madagascar" as the voice of Gloria, the hippo. She was also featured in the franchise’s two subsequent films, "Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa" and "Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted."

In 2008, as part of a star-studded collaboration, she joined forces with Queen Latifah, Dakota Fanning and Alicia Keys to produce the film adaptation of the best-selling novel The Secret Life of Bees. Also that year, she made her directorial and screenwriting debut with the film "The Human Contract."

Pinkett Smith produced and starred in TNT medical drama series "HawthoRNe," which earned her a 2010 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series.

She was an executive producer on the 2010 film "The Karate Kid," which starred her son; and the 2014 documentary "Free Angela and All Political Prisoners," about social activism icon Angela Davis. She also executive produced CBS syndicated talk show "The Queen Latifah Show."

26Along with her husband and record industry mogul Jay-Z, she also produced the Tony Award winning Broadway musical hit "Fela," and the upcoming film remake of the 1982 musical "Annie."

Currently, Pinkett Smith plays Fish Mooney, a sexy gangster boss and nightclub owner, one of Batman’s arch nemesis in FOX’s hot new series, "Gotham."

Pinkett Smith contributes much of her free time to humanitarian efforts, helping to raise awareness on issues such as human trafficking. She also serves on the advisory board of Gucci’s empowerment initiative, Chime for Change, which campaigns for improved education, health and justice for women and girls worldwide.