Taina Smits Is Now a Public School Teacher – What We Know about Jimmy Smits' Daughter

Jimmy Smits's daughter, Taina Smits, leads a creative and fulfilling life. While Jimmy Smits is widely recognized for his illustrious acting career, his daughter's journey often remains hidden from the public eye.

Taina Smits has paved her path in the art world, sharing her father's deep passion for storytelling. A dedicated teacher, Jimmy Smits' daughter committed herself to shaping the futures of young minds through the transformative power of words and creativity.

Their family's journey hasn't been without challenges, including a divorce that reshaped their lives. However, Taina Smits shares glimpses of her affectionate relationship with her father through social media posts.

Jimmy Smits's Daughter Is a Dedicated Teacher

Taina has built an impressive career in education, carving out her path as a devoted teacher. According to her LinkedIn profile, she currently serves as an English Teacher at Fairfax County Public Schools in Virginia.

She pursued her education at Duquesne University, earning her Bachelor's degree in English/Education in 1996. But she has diverse interests and talents. She shares her father's passion for the arts.

Aside from teaching, she holds a master's degree in Theater and dabbles in writing and directing, according to her X profile (formerly Twitter). Taina helps nurture young talents through her involvement in her middle school's theater program as a director.

Her Twitter activity in the past, though inactive since 2022, provided glimpses into her enthusiasm for school plays and her role in shaping her students' creative experiences.

She marked her anniversary as a Theater Teacher and Director at her middle school with a tweet tagging renowned playwright Lin-Manuel Miranda. Her tweet read:

"@Lin_Manuel Completely inspired by what you create. My planner for my fifth year as the Theater Teacher/Director at my middle school."

During their rehearsals, Taina also showcased the strong sense of community and camaraderie among Glasgow Middle School's theater students. She actively promoted her school's production of "Annie Jr. the Musical," creating excitement and reminding the community not to miss out on the opportunity to witness her young students' creativity.

Jimmy had an emotional reunion with his children and extended family.

In addition to her professional and creative pursuits, Taina is a proud mother of two children whose identities remain relatively unknown. In the accompanying tweet, she wrote: "Blessed with the Best."

Jimmy Smits' Relationship with His Daughter Taina Smits

Taina's social media posts offer a heartwarming glimpse into her relationship with her father and reflect her deep admiration and love for him. In June 2021, she shared a photo of her father kneeling beside his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, expressing her pride and stating in a hashtag that dreams do come true.

For Father's Day in 2019, Tania expressed her affection for her father with a heartfelt tribute, sharing a photo of him with the accompanying caption "My Hero." In July 2019, Taina also celebrated her father's birthday by sharing a throwback black-and-white photo of him.

Jimmy Smits' Split from Ex-wife Barbara

Taina's parents, Jimmy and Barbara, tied the knot on June 10, 1980, but their marriage reached its breaking point, resulting in their separation on March 15, 1986. In 1987, the actor officially filed for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences.

Amidst the former couple's split, their divorce proceedings were conducted amicably. Barbara moved to Brooklyn, New York, with their two children, Taina and Joaquin. The divorce papers filed by Jimmy indicated that he would not be seeking custody of their two children.

However, Jimmy had an emotional reunion with his children and extended family during the premiere of his film "In The Heights" in New York in 2021. He starred in the movie alongside a talented cast, including Rita Moreno, Leslie Grace, Ariana Greenblatt, Marc Anthony, Corey Hawkins, and Anthony Ramos.

Jimmy shared in an article that he had not seen his children and extended family before the premiere for quite a while. But in another report, he revealed he saw his family at the premiere, describing it as an "incredible experience," mainly because it coincided with significant family milestones.