Smith has appeared in the films The Whole Ten Yards (2004), Daddy's Little Girls (2007), The Longshots (2008), Couples Retreat (2009), Jumping the Broom (2011), Addicted (2014) and Dolemite Is My Name (2019).

Smith co-starred alongside Ice Cube and Keke Palmer in the family comedy-drama film, The Longshots (2008).

She had supporting role in the romantic comedy film Couples Retreat (2009), and co-starred alongside Salli Richardson, Nicole Ari Parker and Michael B. Jordan in Pastor Brown (2010).

In 2011, she appeared in the comedy-drama film Jumping the Broom alongside Angela Bassett and Paula Patton, and in 2014, she played a psychotherapist in the erotic thriller, Addicted.

[5] In 2014, she also was cast in a recurring role in the Fox drama series Empire as Carol Hardaway, Cookie Lyon's younger sister.

[10] In 2019, Smith appeared in the comedy-drama film Dolemite Is My Name, and starred opposite Lisa Kudrow and Whitney Cummings in the Amazon comedy pilot Good People.

[12] In 2022, it was announced that Smith will be starring in the Lee Daniels's horror/thriller The Deliverance with Mo'Nique, Andra Day, Omar Epps, and Miss Lawrence.

The following year, Smith starred opposite Michelle Buteau in the Netflix comedy-drama series, Survival of the Thickest.

The judge in the case granted Smith an annulment of the marriage in December 2015 on the basis of fraud committed by Douglas.

"[19] However, she said after learning that one of her family members had gotten very sick and she was not able to visit them at the hospital, she decided to turn to prayer "and ask God to show himself to her and help her unbelief.

[19][20][21] Smith is the creator of TSAW, an actor's workshop that empowers and inspires performers at various stages in their careers with focus on the Black community.