This Girl Found ‘Handfuls’ of Her Hair in Shower — ‘Men in Black’ Husband Defended Her at Oscars Once

In a deeply personal revelation, this girl describes the heart-wrenching moment when she found “handfuls of hair” falling in the shower.

This candid admission shines a light on the struggles she faced, from her parents’ addiction to her own mental health journey.

She also shares details of her evolving relationship with a Hollywood icon and the challenges she faced in their marriage.

She is not just a successful actress, producer, and talk show host but also the better half of one of Hollywood’s most influential and bankable actors. Her spouse is an American icon, a multi-talented force of nature – an actor, comedian, producer, rapper, and songwriter.

Season 5 of "A Different World" | Source: Getty Images

He boasts an impressive resume, with five Golden Globe Award nominations, two Academy Awards, and four Grammy Awards under his belt. You’ll recognize him from blockbuster hits like “Independence Day,” “Bad Boys,” “Hitch,” and “Aladdin.” He is also a star in the “Men in Black” franchise.

 

"A Different World" character, Lena James | Source: Getty Images

But beyond their dazzling exterior lies a story of hardship, resilience, and the challenges this girl has unveiled to the world. Throughout her life, she has seen her parents struggle with addiction, faced abandonment from her father, grappled with a terrifying condition that involves hair loss, and faced challenges in her marriage.

The girl’s early life unfolded against the backdrop of her mother’s harrowing battle with heroin addiction. In her formative years, she remained unaware of her mother’s struggles. It was only during her teenage years that the signs became too evident to ignore.

On the set of the film, "Jason's Lyric" in 1994 | Source: Getty Images

Her mother’s tardiness in picking her up from school and her moments of nodding off mid-activities all whispered the same truth – her mother was wrestling with a drug problem. The heart-wrenching confession from her mother bore the weight of over two decades of drug abuse, a period where the daughter had to bear the brunt of her mother’s addiction.\\

Late rapper and actor Tupac Shakur during a movie primiere in New York in 1996 | Source: Getty Images

It’s a cycle she knew all too well, as addiction had cast its shadow over her family for generations. This complex web of familial struggles left her with unspoken pain. In a parallel thread of hardship, the girl’s father wrestled with his own demons – addiction to drugs and alcohol.

He was conspicuously absent from her childhood, leaving her to navigate the tumultuous journey of growing up without his presence. Her younger half-brother faced the same fate, as their father remained an elusive figure. Tragically, despite intermittent attempts at sobriety, her father couldn’t escape the clutches of addiction.

The most painful twist in this narrative was the time he managed to stay sober for two decades, adopting another child during this period, all while his own children were left without his support. It was a heart-wrenching irony that deepened the wounds.

After falling off the wagon once more, it was his children who stepped in to care for him and help him on the path to recovery, only to witness his tragic demise due to a drug overdose. When the girl was merely seven, her father delivered a painful blow, informing her that he couldn’t be a father to her because of his criminal past and ongoing addiction.

It’s a revelation that stayed with her for years and ignited a storm of resentment within her as she struggled to comprehend why she was shouldering the responsibility for a man who had never been there for her.

Episode 100 of "A Different World" | Source: Getty Images

In her twenties, as she embarked on her journey in Los Angeles and tasted success, the girl found herself trapped in the relentless pursuit of the unattainable. She realized that fame and fortune weren’t the solution to her pain; instead, they exacerbated her struggles.

A profound mental breakdown shattered her emotional stability, plunging her into severe depression and thoughts of suicide. She described it as an emotional freefall, where she felt utterly out of control, battling overwhelming emotions and thoughts.

The 11th Annual Celebrity Day at McClaren Hall in Toluca Lake, California | Source: Getty Images

The dark cloud of depression lingered for years, with each morning becoming a painful battle to face the day. Only later in life did she recognize that what she had endured aligned with the term “nervous breakdown.” Despite her financial success, she grappled with guilt and shame, haunted by the shadows of her past and an unshakable sense of deprivation and loss.

And so, as the girl faced her inner demons, her story simultaneously unfolded in the world of entertainment, where she made a mark as an audacious, aspiring actress named Jada Koren Pinkett. In a twist of fate, her path intersected with the charismatic Willard Carroll Smith, a name that would soon become synonymous with Hollywood’s finest.

Jada Pinkett and Will Smith attending the premiere for "The Nutty Professor" in Universal City, California on June 27, 1996 | Source: Getty Images

Their love story began on the set of “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.” Pinkett, full of potential, arrived for an audition at the age of 19, unaware that destiny was about to unfold. Despite not making the initial cut due to her height, she couldn’t escape Smith’s attention.

But the timing wasn’t quite right as Smith found himself married to Sheree Zampino and went to have a son, Trey. While Smith entered into a marriage and parenthood, a quiet chemistry simmered between them, yet they never had an affair. It was only after his divorce that he made a life-altering call to Pinkett, who was in Baltimore.

He simply asked, “Are you seeing anybody?” When she replied in the negative, he boldly declared, “Cool. You’re seeing me now.” Pinkett swiftly returned to Los Angeles, having bought a home in Baltimore and moved there, leaving Hollywood behind. As life continued to unfold, they got married and had two children: a son, Jaden, and a daughter, Willow.

 

Will Smith, Jada Pinkett Smith, their son Jaden Smith and Will's son Trey Smith at the "Wild Wild West" premiere on June 28, 1999 in Westwood, California | Source: Getty Images

There came a time in the marriage when Pinkett would wake up in the morning, crying for 45 consecutive days, casting a shadow of despair over her and Smith. This period brought Smith to a painful realization. He understood that everything he had done for Pinkett hadn’t been for her but for his own vision of the perfect family. During an episode of the “Red Table Talk,” he told Willow:

“There was a period where mommy woke up and cried 45 days straight. I started keeping a diary. It was every morning.”

Jada Pinkett-Smith and Will Smith attending the 2022 Vanity Fair Oscar party on March 27, 2022 in Beverly Hills, California | Source: Getty Images

He wanted to create a home and a family that contrasted sharply with his own tumultuous upbringing. However, he came to see that Pinkett had sacrificed her own career and dreams to fit into his picture and raise their children while his life continued uninterrupted.

He mistakenly believed that financial success and worldly accomplishments guaranteed a happy relationship, while Pinkett was trapped in a life that wasn’t truly hers. Pinkett’s turning point arrived when she reached 40. She realized she could no longer continue on the same path and decided it was time for a change.

She ceased her support for their external successes, sparking rumors of divorce, though the option never seriously crossed their minds. For Smith, divorce was a path he’d traversed once and had no intention of revisiting.

Pinkett, in turn, felt that divorce was unnecessary, and she was determined to keep their family unit intact. They embarked on a break within their marriage, only to regroup and rebuild their family dynamics with newfound clarity.

 

Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith during the "Aladdin" premiere in Hollywood, California on May 21, 2019 | Source: Getty Images

Another challenging point for Pinkett was when she started experiencing hair loss. It was the beginning of her struggle with alopecia, a condition that led her to experience a shower filled with hair falling from her head. She described the experience as terrifying, saying:

“It was terrifying when it started. I was in the shower one day and had just handfuls of hair in my hands, and I was just like, ‘Oh my God, am I going bald?’”

 

In response to this challenge, Pinkett decided to take control. She began cutting her hair, a drastic measure for someone who had always been recognized for her long, thick locks. At times, people had even mistaken it for a wig due to its remarkable fullness. Eventually, she came to terms with the reality that she was battling alopecia.

In a recent revelation, Pinkett addressed the status of her marriage to Smith, shedding light on a poignant chapter in their journey. When an interviewer referred to Smith as her “former husband,” Pinkett responded with a heartfelt declaration:

“That’s still my man.”

Jada Pinkett Smith during a visit at SiriusXM studios in New York City on October 17, 2023 | Source: Getty Images

She candidly shared that they had been living separate lives since 2016 but hadn’t been certain about the prospect of divorce. The turning point came in the wake of Smith’s infamous incident at The Oscars when he slapped Chris Rock for making fun of Pinkett’s shaved head.

Pinkett had chosen not to accompany him to the event as his wife. However, the incident marked a profound moment of realization, and she left as his wife.

She knew, in that pivotal instant, that she wanted to stand by his side. Their bond deepened, and she discovered that her love for him was unwavering, transcending traditional labels. The mom of two emphasized that while they are still legally married, they no longer consider themselves husband and wife.

 

Instead, they’ve embraced the role of life partners, committed to supporting each other’s growth and happiness, regardless of their romantic status. Their bond transcends the traditional boundaries of marriage, and they consider themselves family forever.

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