Actress and my fellow Baltimorean , Jada Pinkett Smith covers the August Issue of Redbook Magazine. Jada has always been one of my favorites in Hollywood, somewhat because she is from Baltimore, somewhat because she is Supergorge, somewhat because she’s talented, but most recently because of the relationship she seems to have with her husband and children. It’s hard being a wife , mother and business woman, so I can only imagine the added stress of always being in the spotlight. In Redbook Jada opens up about her marriage, her children’s careers and her own.

READ SOME OF HER INTERVIEW WITH REDBOOK:

On raising her kids in Hollywood: “Let me tell you what I fear most: Them growing up like I did, in a house with drugs in a war zone, where if I walked out my door I could be shot. Hollywood ain’t nothing compared to that! Growing up in the streets of Baltimore, or the streets of Philly where Will grew up — I’d rather have my kids here. It still makes me nervous that they’re part of something that isn’t totally real, but it’s up to Will and me to teach them what’s real and what’s not.”

On putting family first: “I had to make choices. Believe me, I would still be on the road with my band, Wicked Wisdom, and making as many movies as I can a year, and doing all sorts of other things if I didn’t have the responsibility of a family. But I have children with their own talents and dreams, and I know I have to be standing next to them for that journey.”

On giving up on her rockstar dreams: “It was excruciating, completely excruciating. When Jaden was auditioning for The Pursuit of Happyness, my band had just gotten an offer to open for Guns N’ Roses in Europe. For me, that was unbelievable. But the choice was: I could be a rock star, or I could be on the set with my son to make sure he was healthy and happy. We all know how that story ended!”

READ MORE AT REDBOOKMAG.COM