Will Smith: Willow ‘can handle herself’ when it comes to dating

Will Smith thinks his daughter Willow "can handle herself" when it comes to dating.

The ‘Whip My Hair’ singer might have only turned 16 two months ago, but her 48-year-old father Will isn’t concerned about having to grill her potential suitors when she brings them to the house, as he says she knows how to "shut it down".

He said: "[Willow] can handle herself. They knock on the door and the first couple of questions that Willow asks sort of shuts it down."

And the ‘Suicide Squad’ actor attributed his daughter’s tough edge to her mother Jada Pinkett Smith, with whom he also has 18-year-old son Jaden.

He added: "The Smith ladies are a lot."

The ‘Collateral Beauty’ actor – who also has son Trey, 24, from a previously relationship – is "proud" of his daughter for being "confident" in herself.

Speaking to ‘Entertainment Tonight’, he said: "She loves self-expression, you know. She’s so confident in who she is and what she wants to be and where she’s going. It’s just amazing to see that inner energy come out… I’m very proud of her."

And the sense of pride is mutual between father and daughter, as Willow admitted earlier this year that her parents had inspired her to want to change the world.

She said: "They always give back what people give to them. And sometimes they keep giving and giving and giving. And some people don’t feel like they need to give anything back because it’s like, ‘Oh, if you’re famous, you can just keep giving, and it doesn’t matter.’"

The ’21st Century Girl’ singer continued: "It’s not just about money. It’s not just about giving people gifts or whatever. What my parents have given to me is not anything that has to do with money or success or anything that society says people should be focusing on–it’s something spiritual that only certain people can grasp and accept. And that’s how I act and move in the world today."