Ben Stiller, Chris Rock & Jada Pinkett Smith
The Madagascar 2 stars on parenthood and talking zebras.
by Meghan Pleticha
October 31, 2008
JADA PINKETT SMITH:
It's great to see Gloria hold down with all the other male leads. What attracted you to her character? And what do you hope she represents for the audience?
When you're a genuine person, you can roll in any circle, you know? Whether it's girls and dudes, cats, dogs. What I love about Gloria most is that she's comfortable in her own skin. That's what makes Gloria fabulous — she just loves being Gloria.
She has a very strong personality and a hell of a lot of self-esteem. Apparently, you do, too?
Oh, I try. It's taken me years. Thirty-seven years. By golly—
What was it like having your daughter in the studio?
Oh, that was so cute. Because she'd been asking, "So, how does that work? How does the animation thing work? Mommy, what happens?" I'm like, "Oh, boy." So, it was great when I got the phone call saying, "Would Willow like to play little Gloria?" And so she got to come in, do some lines, and she got to see the process for herself. 
"I've learned that I'm a much better mother when I take time for myself."
Will has talked about the kids being in show business and having their own sort of careers. Is it something that they're going to continue with?
I know it's something they want to do now. I don't know if it's something they'll still want to do as they go on and the padding of the parental worlds starts to fall away. But I do know that it's a good experience for them right now. And that we are in a position that we can protect them from certain things.
But they've learned a lot, having the opportunity to work. Now they know what it means to work and make your own money and spend your own money. And the hard work it takes to make money. And now they understand what Mommy and Daddy, what we do. So, they have much more appreciation. Like, when they know we're going to work, they know what that means. So now we share this kind of reality together — which is really, really nice, when you can have kids that are like, "How was your day, Mommy? Are you okay?" And so, we'll see, as they get older. For all I know, my son'll be like, "Forget it. I'm moving to Hawaii . I want to become a professional surfer."
Could you talk about who is in your mom-tourage? Like, the people that help you balance being a mom, a singer, an actress?
I have a lot of family. My mother, I would have to say is probably the core person, because she travels with me everywhere. So, if the kids are working, she's with me on the set. If I'm not on the set, my mother is on the set. If Will's not on the set, my mother's on the set. And my mother is a soldier. "No, he cannot have candy. Jaden, you still have two hours of school you have to do." She's even more structured than I am. She keeps me in line. And then I have Myrna. She's been with my family now for fifteen years. And Daisy too. Daisy actually helped raise my son Trey. She's been a part of our family for sixteen years. So, we have quite a nice little tribe. And then there's Will's mom, who comes out and helps sometime. And then I have my girlfriend, Vonne, who's been my friend for, I don't know, twenty years. So, we're surrounded by family.
Is it tricky to find time alone just for you?
It used to be. It's not anymore. I really just take the time. I just say, you know, "Mommy's out." You know, to just have quiet time. Even trips like this —I'm here by myself. I'm only here for one day, but I'm here by myself. I got to sleep in the bed myself. I got the ride on the plane.
So, that type of time is very valuable, you know? But I just take it. And it's very important because we put out so much. Women — we put out so much. And it's so important that we plug in somewhere. A lot of times, people try to make it seem as though that's not important. Like, you've just gotta give, give, give, give. And if you don't, then that makes you a bad mom and a bad person, if you even want to take a sliver of time for yourself.
And what I've learned is that I'm a much better mother, and a much better wife when I have time to be able to go and just collect myself. And my husband has learned and my kids have learned that they receive the rewards of Mommy having time to herself. It's not fun when Mommy goes away; my husband's like, "Oooh, I don't know" and the kids are like, "Mommy, don't leave." But once I come back, and I'm ready, it's all good.
Did your kids like the first movie?
They did. They loved it. My oldest son did; I was really shocked. "Mom, I wanna bring my friends over and I wanna screen Madagascar." I'm like, "Are you serious?" So that was quite a joy on the first one. 'Cause I was just expecting the little ones to love it, you know? My thirteen-year-old was like, "Yeah, I wanna have a screening for my friends." Will was like, "Whoa. Stand in the cool box with the teenager." So, that was cool.
©2008 Meghan Pleticha and Nerve Media
About the Author
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Meghan Pleticha recently graduated with a degree in English and a minor in LGBT studies (like women’s studies, but less angry and more fabulous). Having grown up in Northern California and gone to school in L.A., she’s just popped over to New York to see what all the fuss is about. She is a contributor to Nerve.com and Babble.com.
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