Jada Pinkett Smith told PopSugar that her mom, Adrienne Banfield Norris (above right), gave birth to her at a "very young age." The mother-daughter duo also revealed in an early episode of "Red Table Talk" that Norris had been a heroin addict for most of Pinkett Smith's childhood. "I think I didn't find out my mother was addicted to heroin until I was in my teens," said Pinkett Smith. "I could tell when my mother was high. She couldn't make it on time to pick me up from school. Or, she's nodding off, falling asleep in the middle of something. You just realize, oh that's not being tired. That is like, a drug problem."
Banfield Norris has been sober since the '90s — but says the scars on her daughter remain. "The emotional damage, and the spiritual damage that I did to myself, and to her — that was devastating," Banfield Norris said.
Thankfully, Pinkett Smith and her mom have a close relationship today. Banfield Norris even traveled with her daughter more than once to help take care of her kids — something that Pinkett Smith expressed gratitude for on "Red Table Talk," telling her mom: "It helped me so much, because if I didn't have you, I wouldn't have been able to do The Matrix. I wouldn't have been able to keep working. You went with me everywhere. And because of you, I was able to have my children with me. So, thank you."
If you or anyone you know is struggling with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
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