Unlike a lot of celebrity parents Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith take a real interest in their kids development as young stars. Recently he revealed the real reason his daughter Willow Smith, most known for her hit "Whip My Hair", dropped out of a lead role in the new movie "Annie".


Initially it was reported that the young Willow had simply "grown out" of the role of "Annie" but this is what Will Smith told the audience at Temple University with Sister Soulah for their "Real Talk With Sister Souljah and Will Smith" panel:

"Willow was supposed to be doing ‘Annie,’ we got Jay-Z to do the movie, got the studio to come in and Willow had such a difficult time on tour with ‘Whip my Hair’ and she said, ‘You know Daddy, I don’t think so’ and I said, ‘Baby, hold up! I said no, no, no, listen, you’ll be in New York with all of your friends and Beyoncé will be there. You will be singing and dancing,’ and she looked at me and said, ‘Daddy, I have a better idea, how about I just be 12.’

I’m really learning through Willow the necessity that we have to snap ourselves back and refocus on the emotional needs of the people that we love. Someone’s emotional needs can be very very different from your dreams and what you think they should be doing and where they are supposed to be."