Jada Pinkett Smith to play doctor on latest TNT original series

Jada Pinkett Smith will play the lead in TNT's new original medical drama entitled "HawthoRNe."

Thr series has Pinkett Smith playing the chief nursing officer at a Richmond, VA hospital.

An article on the Los Angeles Times Web site explains just how significant it is for Pinkett Smith to have been cast in this role, "Not only does 'HawthoRNe' place Smith front and center, but it also lands her in TV history as one of the only African American women to play the lead in a weekly prime-time drama. Only Jill Scott in HBO's 'The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency' and Teresa Graves in the 1970s action series 'Get Christie Love!' have preceded Smith in starring roles on one-hour dramas.'"

This latest role puts Pinkett Smith back on the small screen since she had her first industry break on the '90s sitcom, "A Different World," as Lena James. From there, Pinkett Smith made her way to the silver screen as she starred in hit movies such as the 1996 Eddie Murphy comedy, "The Nutty Professor," the final film in "The Matrix" trilogy, 2003's "The Matrix Revolutions" and the 2004 Tom Cruise/Jamie Foxx crime thriller, "Collateral."

Aside from her Hollywood persona, Pinkett Smith does have an untamed vibe which is evident, given she fronts a heavy metal band known as Wicked Wisdom and as well has written and directed a provocative film, entitled "The Human Contract," which is being released this month on DVD.

"This is scary for me. I've never liked being at the center," continued the Baltimore native about her new role.