Jada Pinkett Smith Is No Stranger to Superhero Franchises — Could She Ever Return?

Jada Pinkett Smith might not be the first name people think of when it comes to the superhero genre, but her involvement with it is undeniable.

From direct contributions through her acting to her familial connections within the genre, Pinkett Smith has had her hand in several high-profile superhero projects.

Now, people wonder whether or not the actress could have a place inside the MCU as it looks for new talent to take the place of the retired characters. 

Jada Pinkett Smith’s Hollywood journey

Pinkett Smith might not be the household name that her husband, Will, is, but she’s certainly not obscure. Her acting journey goes back thirty years, beginning with a one-off performance in the hit show True Colors. However, her biggest break came when she joined the cast of A Different World. Now a household name, she began to take her talents to the big screen, too. 

However, after a slew of other television work, Pinkett Smith got her breakout film role in Menace II Society. Her career was never the same. From comedic work in The Nutty Professor to horror work in Scream 2 and action work in The Matrix sequels, Pinkett Smith proved herself to be a versatile actress that needed to be taken seriously in Hollywood.

While she rarely got the leading roles her husband got, her work across genres made her a dominant force in Hollywood. 

In recent years, she has rebranded as something bigger than an actress, too. Her web series Red Table Talk shows that Pinkett Smith can also play a talk show host. Rather than discussing new projects, however, Red Table Talk dives into serious issues, too.

Pinkett Smith will next be seen in The Matrix 4. Recently-adopted fans, however, might best remember her as Fish Mooney in the hit Fox series, Gotham. 

Jada and the superheroes

Now the matriarch to a famous family, Pinkett Smith has several connections to the superhero genre. Her most apparent is her work on Gotham.

As the main villain of season one, Pinkett Smith’s Fish Mooney was a formidable crime boss who was not afraid to break some eggs to get what she wanted. For much of the series’ early years, Mooney was the focus as both a sign of power and one who worked behind the scenes and in the shadows. 

Furthermore, her work in films like The Matrix sequels showed that she could work in films with comic books in their DNA, even if they were not superhero movies. Through her family, this connection runs even deeper.

According to Cinema Blend, Will has been in two superhero movies. His first, Hancock, was a gritty, grounded take on the genre about a hero who struggled with very human vices. Suicide Squad was DC’s attempt to use Smith’s star power to fix the struggling universe they were working on. 

Pinkett Smith’s son, Jaden, also has his hands inside the genre. His music was featured in the smash-hit Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. While not synonymous with the superhero genre, Pinkett Smith’s connections to it are undeniable. Because of this, some may wonder if she could get involved with the MCU in one way or another. 

Can Jada take the MCU?

Pinkett Smith is working hard as an actress, show-host, and public figure. However, she continues to take on acting roles that show her range. As of now, however, none of these projects involve superheroes.

Should Pinkett Smith ever join the MCU, it would likely be in a secondary role. She’s the exact type of actress who thrives in supporting roles inside the MCU. 

However, whether or not she ever joins the MCU, Pinkett Smith and company have had their hands in several of the biggest moments that the genre has ever seen.