Will Smith and his wife Jada Pinkett Smith were worried about introducing their children Jaden and Willow into the business because the constant media attention is so addictive and all-consuming.
According to The Sun newspaper, Will admitted: 'I think that the major risk of this particular business is strictly emotional. The business has almost a narcotic quality. It's almost as if you're introducing a narcotic into your kid's life.'
The 'Fresh Prince of Bel Air' star - who has had success as both a rapper and an actor - has been helping Willow pursue a singing career, and supporting Jaden with both his movie and music dreams. However, Will insists he isn't pushing his children into the spotlight and is merely offering them a helping hand to achieve success in their chosen career paths.
He explained in an interview with Vuture.com: 'It may seem like we have pushed our kids into the business, but that is absolutely insane. I would never, ever, push somebody to have their face on a poster that's going be everywhere in the world. [Jaden] is making a choice from the informed. It's less scary to me than if he wanted to be a dentist in that I couldn't help with what he'd chosen. I have relationships with some of the biggest filmmakers and actors and producers on Earth. So I can be a huge help.'
The father-and-son duo first appeared on the big screen together in 'The Pursuit of Happyness' when Jaden was just seven years old, and have now reunited for new sci-fi flick 'After Earth'.
Asked whether they would work together again in the future, Jaden quipped: 'I definitely would do another one, absolutely. You know, how Johnny Depp and Tim Burton always do movies together, Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio? We'll have a relationship like that.'
