Jada Pinkett Smith Sheds Light on Dark Oscars Incident Tied to Controversial Reputation

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Jada Pinkett Smith is speaking out about the aftermath of her estranged husband Will Smith’s infamous Oscars incident.

Pinkett Smith, aged 52, spoke to People magazine about the extent to which the rumors went, specifically addressing the speculation that she was responsible for Smith's altercation with Chris Rock at the March 2022 awards show. In addition, she acknowledged the false narrative surrounding her alleged infidelity and adulterous behavior towards Will.

Smith had never engaged in such a public display of violence before, Pinkett Smith noted. Consequently, people sought an explanation, leading to accusations being directed towards her. Pinkett Smith offered her perspective, stating that it is in human nature to assign blame when examining the breadcrumbs of a situation.

Smith approached the spotlight during the 94th Academy Awards and unexpectedly slapped Rock, aged 58, across the cheek as a reaction to the comedian's jest comparing Pinkett Smith to G.I. Jane – the iconic protagonist named after the eponymous 1997 movie portrayed by Demi Moore – due to Pinkett Smith's shaved head. (It is important to note that Pinkett Smith experiences alopecia, a condition that leads to hair loss.)

Will Smith gave Chris Rock a slap on stage at the 94th Oscars. He then went back to his seat and silently exclaimed, "Do not mention my wife's name again."

Following his controversial actions, the actor known for his portrayal of King Richard was banned from the Oscars for a decade. However, he recently emphasized that Pinkett Smith played no role in influencing his reaction. In a video shared on his social media accounts in July 2022, Smith asserted that his decision was solely based on his personal experiences and longstanding relationship with Chris.

Rock has proposed that the root cause of the slap was marital issues between Smith and Pinkett Smith. In his Netflix comedy special Chris Rock: Selective Outrage, which was released in March, Rock asserted, "Those who truly know are aware that I had no involvement in that situation. I was not involved in any 'entanglements'... She inflicted much greater harm upon him than I ever did."

Rock was talking about a July 2020 episode of Red Table Talk where Pinkett Smith disclosed her "entanglement" with singer August Alsina while taking a break from her relationship with Smith. She previously mentioned that she and the Oscar winner were able to mend their relationship.

Recently, Pinkett Smith revealed that she and Smith have been separated since 2016, which is six years prior to the Oscars incident.

"I believe that by the time we reached 2016, we were simply exhausted from our efforts. It seemed that both of us were still trapped in a fantasy of what we had imagined the other person should become," she stated in a clip from an upcoming interview with Today, which will be released on Wednesday, October 11. The complete interview will be broadcast on NBC on Friday, October 13, at 8 p.m. ET.

The couple got married in 1997 and have two children together, Jaden, 25, and Willow, 22. Pinkett Smith explained that despite living apart, they have not pursued divorce because she doesn't feel ready for it.

“I made a promise that there will never be a reason for us to get a divorce. We will work through whatever. And I just haven’t been able to break that promise,” she said.

In this article

Chris Rock

Jada Pinkett Smith

Will Smith