Actress Jada Pinkett Smith has been working on a documentary exploring the links between strip clubs and sex trafficking.
She also stars as Rome, a strip club owner, in "Magic Mike XXL," a movie about strippers.
There’s no conflict in the two projects, Smith said during a press conference promoting the movie at the St. Regis hotel this week.
“It is absolutely imperative that women have a strong identity within the sexual erotic world,” she said. “If we don’t, that leaves us vulnerable to be taken advantage of. I’ve seen that often in sex trafficking, women didn’t have that self-identity. They’ve been fooled into believing being sold into sex is a way someone shows that they love you.”
"Magic Mike XXL," which filmed in Savannah, stars Channing Tatum, Matt Bomer, Joe Manganiello, Kevin Nash, Michael Strahan and Adam Rodriguez. It's in theaters starting July 1.
The sequel to "Magic Mike" finds Mike Lane (Tatum) eager to get back into the business after keeping his shirt on for several years. A stripper convention in Myrtle Beach reunites him and his fellow drawer droppers.
“It was a fun party. Every day it was like high school,” Smith said. “I felt like I was going to a house party every day. One of the things I love about this movie and working with Channing is it was really fluid. You had your scene, but that was just a blueprint. We did a lot of ad-libbing. As far as Rome’s dialogue on stage, they gave me a lot of freedom. I love that they were intelligent enough to know I know what needs to be done.”
She did have some initial trepidation about the role, given her advocacy for sex trafficking victims and the upcoming documentary. (Filmed in Atlanta with CNN, it’s scheduled to air July 14.)
“Strip clubs can sometimes be a gateway to trafficking,” she said. She decided that imbuing her “Magic Mike” character with strength and power would be a way to get an important message across.
“Sex and how we interact erotically and sexually should always be a celebration,” she said. “Never, ever should degradation be an aspect of a sexual communication.”
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