Z-list actress Skai Jackson's mom Kiya Cole saw her daughter's enormous potential long before anybody else and decided to quit her job to support her daughter's career. Years later, the powerful mother-daughter team has made great strides.
Being a parent can be a daunting task. The responsibility gets a bit tricky when you have to combine parenting obligations with guiding a child star who was thrust into the spotlight from infancy.
Skai Jackson is photographed for EliteDaily.com on October 2, 2019 in New York City. | Photo: Getty Images
The scenario above perfectly summarises the inspiring story of Kiya Cole and her daughter, Disney Channel star, Skai Jackson. Over the years, the devoted mother has been the driving force behind her daughter's steady rise to prominence despite their humble beginnings from New York City.
While the journey has so far been rewarding, shepherding her daughter to achieve her dreams has come at some personal sacrifice. Here is an inside scoop on Kiya Cole's fascinating parenting journey.
SKAI JACKSON'S EARLY YEARS
Kiya Cole welcomed her daughter, Skai Jackson, with her ex-husband Jacob Jackson on April 8, 2002. After divorcing her husband, Cole, 45, raised her daughter as a single mom in New York City.
Skai Jackson began her acting career at the age of five, but her foray into the entertainment business started long before that as a child model at only nine months.
The 45-year-old mother of one revealed that she sent her daughter's pictures to two modeling agencies that represented babies after several people had told her that Skai was a cute baby.
Cole was left with a tough decision to make after both agencies called on the same day to signify their interest in working with her daughter. She finally made the decision, and the mother and daughter haven't looked back ever since.
The talented actress who is the spitting image of her mom went on to feature in several commercials for big brands, including Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Band-Aid bandages, etc. Her early success as a child model helped lay the foundation for her successful acting career.
THE UNBEATABLE MOTHER-DAUGHTER TEAM
Kiya Cole claimed that she saw the passion for acting in her young daughter, and as Skai's profile began to rise within the industry, the mother of one decided to quit her job so that she could be more involved in her daughter's acting career.
During a 2014 interview, Cole, who is also Skai's part-time manager, highlighted the importance of good parenting in keeping child stars grounded amidst all the media attention and hype.
Under the guidance of her ever-present mother, the "Bunk'd" star is coming into her own and was named one of the most influential teens in 2016.
Aside from their productive working relationship, the mother and daughter share a very close bond that they both flaunt on their social media accounts at any given opportunity.
The proud mom is very supportive of her daughter, and even though 18-year-old Skai is no longer a baby anymore, the hugely protective mom still steps in whenever she feels that her daughter is being threatened.
Earlier in the year, Skai got into a heated online feud with rapper Danielle Bregoli, which quickly escalated with the controversial rapper threatening Skai Jackson.
The teenage star was mostly quiet, but Bregoli chose to continue the online assault unprovoked. Skai's mom finally had enough and rose to her daughter's defense.
SKAI JACKSON'S CAREER
Unlike many child stars, Skai Jackson has been active in the entertainment industry throughout her life. After featuring in several national commercials as a baby, Skai landed her first acting role in the movie "Liberty Kid."
After her debut movie, Skai has gone on to feature in several other films and television productions, which include "Rescue Me," The Smurfs," and "Arthur."
In 2011, Skai Jackson got her breakthrough as Zuri Ross, starring alongside Debby Ryan, Peyton List, and the late Cameron Boyce in the hit series "Jessie," which aired on Disney channel between 2011 to 2015. She also reprised her role in the show's spinoff "Bunk'd" from 2015 to 2018.
Making a quick rise in the entertainment industry hasn't come without its challenges, and Skai has been very candid about some of the struggles she faced as a child star, especially being bullied because of her height. While speaking about being bullied as a child, she said:
"A lot of people go through this. The most popular people do. And for me, being a young age, I didn't understand why these people were saying these things. I would get really, really sad."
Over the years, Skai Jackson has learned to rise above negativity and keep her head up. In 2019, the actress launched her first book, "Reach for the Skai: How to Inspire, Empower, and Clapback."
With several movie credits under her belt, a growing social media influence, and the rock-solid support of her mom, Kiya Cole, Skai Jackson is undoubtedly destined for the stars.
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