Jaden Smith's recent appearance in Paris has reignited online criticism toward his parents, Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith, with many questioning the couple's unconventional parenting approach after a video surfaced of the 26-year-old in a public park during the early morning hours.

On June 23, Smith was spotted sitting on a bench with an unidentified male companion around 3 a.m. in the City of Light. Video footage shared by Hollywood Fix shows the two men listening to music, with Smith rhythmically nodding his head. In contrast, the other man appeared largely unengaged, yawning and checking his phone.

Also visible next to them were a lighter and an unidentified smoking device, although neither was being used.

Smith was dressed in baggy, light-colored jeans, a white shirt, a yellow jacket, and a red fitted cap. His companion wore all black.

The video quickly went viral and sparked a flurry of online commentary—much of it critical—not just of Smith's behavior, but of his parents' widely publicized and unorthodox approach to raising their children.

"Great parenting, Will and Jada. Not," one Daily Mail reader wrote in response to the video. Another added, "Can you blame him having the parents he's got?" while a third bluntly stated, "Will and Jada really messed those kids up!"

"He had true potential when he was a kid and a young actor," another commenter said. "He should've kept going with that. Now he acts like a wannabe who is trying to find their identity."

Smith, who has spent much of his life in the public eye, rose to fame as a child actor alongside his father in films such as The Pursuit of Happyness and The Day the Earth Stood Still.

His recent public behavior, combined with previous headlines about his style and personal relationships, has sparked renewed discussion about his upbringing.

The scrutiny comes just days after Will Smith himself acknowledged missteps in how he and Jada Pinkett Smith parent their children.

Speaking candidly during a June 13 appearance on the U.K. radio show Heart Breakfast with Jamie Theakston and Amanda Holden, Smith said, "We made a very, very, very terrible mistake with our children and we went with radical honesty. Don't do it."

"I'm not advocating for it," Smith continued. "We made a deal like from really young with our kids. The deal was if you tell the truth, you won't get in trouble. The only way you can get in trouble in this house is if we find out you did something and you don't tell the truth. And it's a mistake. It's terrible because they do whatever they want and they just come tell you."

Laughing, Smith added, "It's awful. Don't try it. You want your kids to lie. You definitely—you don't want to know some of the stuff your kids are thinking and doing."

Jaden Smith, who frequently travels to Paris, was also seen in the city last week sharing the stage with his father at the Capital's Summertime Ball in London.

The elder Smith, who recently released his first music album in two decades, invited his son to join him onstage for a brief appearance at Wembley Stadium.

Will and Jada Pinkett Smith, who have been married for nearly 28 years, share two children—Jaden and 24-year-old singer Willow Smith. Will also has a 32-year-old son, Trey, from a previous marriage.


Despite the growing public criticism, the Smith family has largely remained silent on the most recent incident in Paris.

As of Wednesday, neither Jaden nor his parents had responded to media requests for comment.

Tags
Will Smith, Jaden smith, Paris, Parenting