Will Smith has opened up about the emotional moment when his son Jaden asked to become an emancipated minor at the age of 15.
Writing in an extract of his new memoir Will seen by People, the Men in Black actor described how his “heart shattered” when he heard the news.
It came after the pair co-starred in the 2013 film After Earth, which Will described as "an abysmal box office and critical failure".
"And what was worse was that Jaden took the hit," he wrote. "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."
Will said that while he and Jaden never spoke about it directly, he knew his son felt "betrayed" and "misled" by him, adding: "He lost his trust in my leadership."
"At 15 years old, when Jaden asked about being an emancipated minor, my heart shattered. He ultimately decided against it, but it sucks to feel like you've hurt your kids," he added.
When a minor becomes emancipated, it means they are removed from the control of their parents or legal guardians.
They can take on responsibilities reserved for adults before they reach the age of majority, which is usually at age 18.
The emancipated minor gains control of their livelihood, from living arrangements to schooling and medical care. However, many states do place some restrictions, meaning that most emancipated minors would not be able to get married without the consent of their parents or legal guardian, buy or consume alcohol or get a driver's license before the legal age.
What's more, they would also not be allowed to vote or quit school. In Jaden's case, it would have given him the freedom to pick future projects and to negotiate his own salary away from his father.
Jaden is now 23, while Will has another child, 21-year-old Willow, with wife Jada Pinkett Smith.
