Jada Pinkett Smith was "motivated" to succeed by her mother's drug addictions.
The Hollywood actress, her mother Adrienne Banfield-Jones, and Jada's 11-year-old daughter Willow appear in a web series called Red Table Talks.
The video ¬- produced by Will Smith's production company - was published online in honour of Mother's Day in the US and shows the three generations of women having an emotional discussion.
Adrienne explained her substance addiction to granddaughter Willow, and revealed what effect it had on Jada.
"I had mommy when I was very young and then I got addicted to drugs after mommy was born. It was a very difficult time for us growing up with her and Jada did not have the kind of life that you have now. I was on drugs until your mom was like 17 or 18. That's a long time," she said. "I have been clean for 22 years. I went into therapy and I remember trying to get your mom to come with me and do some therapy sessions and she just wasn't having it.
"I felt like there were things that needed to be said that she just needed to get off her chest."
Jada added: "I turned all of that into power. So I used those things as motivation."
Adrienne didn't reveal what type of drugs she used.
Willow also discussed her privileged upbringing and revealed the downsides to being in the public eye.
The singer wishes she was anonymous at times.
"If I had to change one thing about my life, it would probably be, I wouldn’t be famous," she admitted. "Because when you’re famous it’s so hard. Let’s say if a regular girl is going to the book store, it’s ten times harder to go everywhere [when you're famous]."
