A rep for the “Hawthorne” actress didn’t reply to Yahoo’s request for comment about Willow Smith’s photo controversy, but Jada did speak out about it herself on Wednesday night when asked by a pack of paparazzi at Los Angeles International airport.
“Here’s the deal: There was nothing sexual about that picture or that situation,” Jada replied sternly, shaking her finger. “You guys are projecting your trash onto it, and you’re acting like covert pedophiles, and that’s not cool.”
The drama began earlier this week when Moisés Arias, 20, posted a photo to Instagram in which he was shirtless and in bed next to Willow, who is only 13. While there was no physical contact between them — and Willow was fully clothed — it didn’t stop speculation, and Arias, who appeared as Rico in “Hannah Montana,” deleted the picture.
Neither Arias nor Willow has spoken out directly, but Gossip Cop reports that a source close to Arias called any suggestion of a romantic relationship between them “laughable” and said that she is “like a sister” to him.
Nonetheless, concern was expressed for the young “Whip My Hair” singer, with comments ranging from “sick” to “inappropriate” to “weird.” Willow is known to hang out with the older Jenner sisters — Kylie, 16, and Kendall, 18, who have been photographed coming and going from nightclubs. They’ve also posed with Arias on social media.
Jada and Will Smith have a laidback parenting style. The “Men in Black 3″ actor said last year that they don’t punish their children — also including son Jaden, 15. (Will also has a 21-year-old son, Trey, from his first marriage.)
“The way that we deal with our kids is, they are responsible for their lives,” he told Metro last year. “Our concept is, as young as possible, give them as much control over their lives as possible and the concept of punishment, our experience has been — it has a little too much of a negative quality.”
As for Arias’s status with the Smith family? Just fine. On Wednesday night he was photographed out to dinner with Jaden.
