{blackbabes} Jada Pinkett Smith Talks Family Life & Female Empowerment: Women Need Courage to Step Out of the Box

Haute Living

Jada Pinkett Smith may be pigeonholed into playing "strong women" on both TV and film, but the Magic Mike XXL star says those roles just come naturally to her.

"People tell me that I always play strong women…In all honesty, that's probably where I am restricted in my creative pursuits. I have no idea how not to be strong and I don't know if I have the desire to," she told Haute Living magazine. "I tend to gravitate towards strength energy lines."

Will Smith's leading lady also opened up to the magazine about the ever-changing dynamics in her home life.

"My family is my priority. If my family is stable and everyone has what they need, then I look at a way to fit in a creative endeavor," she shared.

"My kids are becoming older and there is less of a need for me to remain stationery. I really look at what is happening [in my family] and stay present—the formula is always shifting."

The 43-year-old also explained that she's always pushing to be a powerful female role model (for herself and for her children), saying, "There is no one way to do it! A woman needs to be deeply connected to herself and her family, and she has got to trust herself."

Pinkett Smith continued, "It's about staying present and adjusting the formula which comes in a million forms. Trust takes courage—happiness takes courage; it's not easy!"

The actress had one final, poignant message for all the ladies out there: "Women need courage to be able to step out of the box and be who they are meant to be."

Amen!