Jaden Smith broke records for his salary as a child star, but where did his fortune go and did Will get any of it?
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Dealing with fame isn’t easy, especially for younger stars who have troubled relationships with their parents. That was the case with Drew Barrymore, who got emancipated from her parents at 14, though in truth, she is far from the only one.
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Sure, Jaden Smith’s acting career might’ve taken a hit in recent years, however, there is no denying his success as a child actor. Jaden broke a record as a 12-year-old, bringing in $3 million for ‘The Karate Kid’. Not only was it a financial success for Smith, but the film alongside Jackie Chan was also a big box office hit, making over $359 million. Jaden recalled the experience of working alongside Jackie Chan, “He is amazing.
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He was always teaching me things,” says Smith. “How to stretch correctly, how to be in a scene, how to focus. He was right there with me the whole time.”
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Jaden would continue to demand a premium as a child actor, earning $5 million for ‘After Earth’. Although he made a fortune for the film, the fan reaction to the film was not the best, so much that Jaden considered getting emancipated for his dad. Will Smith recalls the heartbreak he experienced when the film failed.
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“What was worse was that Jaden took the hit. Fans and the press were absolutely vicious; they said and printed things about Jaden that I refuse to repeat. Jaden had faithfully done everything that I’d instructed him to do, and I had coached him into the worst public mauling he’d ever experienced.”
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