Jada Pinkett Smith: ‘Box office hits like Girls Trip will open door to more black actors’

The raucous comedy made an impressive $31.2 million during its opening weekend in the US
Box office hit: Jada Pinkett Smith says the success of Girls Trip is a great thing for ethnically-diverse films
Ian Gavan/Getty Images for Universal Pictures
Jennifer Ruby28 July 2017
The Weekender

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Jada Pinkett Smith says she is delighted that her latest film has done so well at the box office — because it will encourage studios to make more movies with ethnically diverse casts.

The actress stars with Regina Hall, Queen Latifah and Tiffany Haddish in raucous comedy Girls Trip, which follows four lifelong friends who reunite for a weekend in New Orleans.

It made $31.2 million (£23.9 million) during its opening weekend in America, second only to Dunkirk.

Pinkett Smith, 45, said: “As much as we want studios to have a social responsibility in regards to diversity, for it to make sense for studios to make films like this, they have to make money. Period.

“This movie has exceeded expectations and in one weekend has a pretty lovely return financially, which makes me happy because it makes it possible for more movies like this, with a cast that looks like this, to be made.”

The film opened in the UK this week and Pinkett Smith hopes it will have the same success here. “I know the UK has very a specific humour, I’m hoping that it translates and I think that it will,” she said.

She and her husband, fellow actor Will Smith, have long promoted diversity in the film industry.

Power couple: Jada Pinkett SMith with husband Will Smith
Getty

“I think it’s important for me,” she said. “I can’t say that it’s important for anyone else and it’s only important to me because it’s my values, I can’t expect it to be anyone else’s values, but it is mine.

"That’s just who I am and I can’t get away from it. One thing I’ve learnt is that we’re all just here to play our roles, and I’m just playing mine.”

The actress also spoke out about sexism in comedy, saying there is still a double standard for women — despite the success of female-led films such as Bridesmaids and Bad Moms.

“Men are allowed to behave badly and get away with it,” she said. “Even when they behave badly, for some odd reason women tend to get blamed for it, which is crazy.”

Girls Trip is in cinemas now.

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