Will Smith’s revelation about his daughter Willow Smith shaving her head in the midst of her Whip My Hair tour is as surprising as it is revealing. During the documentary Number One on the Call Sheet: Black Leading Men in Hollywood (as reported by Entertainment Weekly), Smith candidly recounted the moment his daughter expressed she was done performing, only to be reminded of a promise she made to Jay-Z to complete 30 shows.
Despite her pleas to quit, Will Smith’s refusal to listen led Willow to shave her head the very next day. He recalled:
Hit record, 20,000 kids whipping their hair in Dublin, and she comes off stage, and is like, ‘I’m done, Daddy,’ and I was like, ‘Yeah, baby, that was a great show!’ And she was like, ‘No, no, I mean I’m done! I’m ready to go home.
He told her quitting was not an option, but Willow’s disappointment was palpable:
She said, ‘No, Daddy, you promised Mr. Jay-Z.’ And I was like, ‘Sweetie, I get it, but we promised as a family, and you have to finish.
Will Smith’s response, “Yes, sweetie, it matters, but you can’t be finished,” was met with a resigned “Oh, okay.” The next morning, Willow Smith appeared bald, making her point clearer than words ever could.
Will Smith’s Daughter Revealed How Her Parents Dismissed Her Anxiety as Tantrum Attacks
Willow Smith has been open about her struggles with anxiety throughout her childhood and young adulthood. On her podcast Red Table Talk, she described how her emotional turmoil was often misunderstood by her parents. She recalled (via The Blast):
It was rough. I feel like when I was growing up, she [Jada] didn’t understand my anxiety. Because she, growing up, had seen her friends die. She had been through so much stuff that, like my issues to her, kind of felt like [smaller].
Willow found it frustrating that her genuine anxiety was often labeled as tantrums. “They didn’t see it as an anxiety attack; they saw it as a tantrum,” she said. She explained that learning to separate herself from those feelings now involves reminding herself,
You’re not nine, you’re a grown a– woman.
Moreover, Willow and her mother had a breakthrough conversation where Jada Pinkett-Smith admitted, “I never knew that I actually experienced anxiety,” revealing how she too, had, suppressed her struggles for years. This shared vulnerability helped Willow Smith forgive the earlier misunderstandings.
Will Smith Said His Daughter Is the Only Female Relationship That Worked Out
In a heartfelt moment on Red Table Talk in 2020, Will Smith admitted that Willow Smith is the only female relationship he feels he hasn’t ruined. He shared:
Willow’s the only female relationship I’ve ever had that I didn’t mess up.
Despite acknowledging that Willow might have her own thoughts on his shortcomings, he stands by his efforts to be a good father. The actor also said he grew up needing safety and approval from others, especially women.
In the last three years, I’ve been seeing it and confronting it more effectively. My relationship with Willow has been a major part of healing.
His relationship with Willow has become a cornerstone of healing his “central wound.” Conversely, he admitted that trying to win Jada Pinkett Smith’s approval led to a “psychological crash and burn,” noting:
There is not enough money to make your relationship go right.
Willow Smith’s presence in his life now symbolizes both progress and hope.
So what do you think? Was Willow Smith’s head shave a bold cry for help or an unavoidable act of teenage defiance? Do you believe Will Smith’s protective instincts helped or hurt? Spill the tea in the comments below!
