Before the Oscar Slap happened, I have to admit, I was never a big Jada Pinkett Smith fan. I probably judged her too harshly, I know that now. Behind every beloved Hollywood icon is a wife who gets a really bad rap. Anyway, all of this to say that I am currently feeling a huge wave of sympathy for Jada. She didn’t do anything but sit there at the Oscars, and she attended solely to support her husband. Chris Rock chose to make fun of her, because he knew he could get away with it. Jada’s husband chose to not put up with it. And there we go. Anyway, Jada hasn’t said much of anything besides an Instagram post which read “This is a season for healing and I’m here for it.” Us Weekly has some sources – eh – who claim that Jada is fine, she wishes Will didn’t smack Chris, but overall, she’s fine.
Jada thinks Will overreacted: Jada Pinkett Smith is not “angry with” Will Smith after he slapped Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscars — but she “wishes he didn’t” get physical with the comedian. “It was in the heat of the moment and it was him overreacting. He knows that, she knows that. They’re in agreement that he overreacted,” a source exclusively tells Us Weekly about where the couple stands now.
Jada didn’t want Will to step in to “protect” her: “She’s not one of these women that needs protecting. He didn’t need to do what he did, she didn’t need protecting. She’s not a wallflower,” the source shared. “She’s a strong woman, an opinionated woman and she can fight her own battles. But she will stand by him.”
The slap won’t affect their marriage “in any way.” “They stick together through thick and thin,” the insider says. “They have been through a lot together and this is just another battle for them.” The Red Table Talk cohost, 50, “absolutely loves and adores” her husband, 53, despite his controversial actions at the 94th Academy Awards, the source tells Us, noting that they are “an unbreakable couple [that] will be together forever.”
She wants to move on: She “wants to just move on,” according to the source. “She doesn’t want to be the center of attention, she doesn’t want her husband being the center of attention,” the insider tells Us.
She was caught off guard: “This was not how she saw the night going — no one did,” the insider adds. “He was winning one of the most important awards of his life and the entire night became about Will and Chris [and] neither of them wanted that. She hopes that they can move on.”
See, I never took the slap as some kind of statement that Will believes Jada is delicate and in need of protection. Even strong women can use some backup, you know? I took it more as Will had enough of it, and it was impulsive and even selfish on his part. It wasn’t something carefully considered because of Jada’s fragility or whatever. It was just Will literally slapping Jada’s name out of Chris’s mouth. As for all of the Jada-wants-to-move-on stuff… Jada understands. Jada has been married to Will for over 24 years. Jada knew, the moment it happened, that this sh-t was going to blow back on her no matter what. Which is exactly what happened, people were ripping her to shreds that very night.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.
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- CENTURY CITY, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, USA – MARCH 13: Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith arrive at the 27th Annual Critics’ Choice Awards held at the Fairmont Century Plaza Hotel on March 13, 2022 in Century City, Los Angeles, California, United States.,Image: 669532642, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Pictured: Will Smith, Jada Pinkett Smith, Credit line: Xavier Collin / Image Press Agency / Avalon
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- Oscar® nominee Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith during the 94th Oscars® at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood in Los Angeles, CA, on Sunday, March 27, 2022.,Image: 673515422, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: Avalon Licensing Ltd. do not claim any Copyright of the attached image WORLD RIGHTS- Fee Payable Upon reproduction – For queries contact Avalon sales@Avalon.red London +44 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles +1 310 822 0419 Berlin +49 30 76 212 251 Madrid +34 91 533, Model Release: no, Credit line: Avalon.red / Avalon
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- Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith during the live ABC telecast of the 94th Oscars® at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood in Los Angeles, CA, on Sunday, March 27, 2022.,Image: 673515557, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: Avalon Licensing Ltd. do not claim any Copyright of the attached image WORLD RIGHTS- Fee Payable Upon reproduction – For queries contact Avalon sales@Avalon.red London +44 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles +1 310 822 0419 Berlin +49 30 76 212 251 Madrid +34 91 533, Model Release: no, Credit line: Avalon.red / Avalon
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- Oscar® nominee Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith arrives on the red carpet of the 94th Oscars® at the Dolby Theatre at the Ovation Hollywood in Los Angeles, CA, on Sunday, March 27, 2022.,Image: 673541241, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: Avalon Licensing Ltd. do not claim any Copyright of the attached image WORLD RIGHTS- Fee Payable Upon reproduction – For queries contact Avalon sales@Avalon.red London +44 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles +1 310 822 0419 Berlin +49 30 76 212 251 Madrid +34 91 533, Model Release: no, Credit line: Avalon.red / Avalon
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- Oscar® nominee Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith arrive on the red carpet of the 94th Oscars® at the Dolby Theatre at the Ovation Hollywood in Los Angeles, CA, on Sunday, March 27, 2022.,Image: 673567160, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: Avalon Licensing Ltd. do not claim any Copyright of the attached image WORLD RIGHTS- Fee Payable Upon reproduction – For queries contact Avalon sales@Avalon.red London +44 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles +1 310 822 0419 Berlin +49 30 76 212 251 Madrid +34 91 533, Model Release: no, Credit line: Avalon.red / Avalon
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- Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith attends the 2022 Vanity Fair Oscar Party Hosted By Radhika Jones celebrating the 94th annual Academy Awards at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on March 27, 2022 in Beverly Hills, California,Image: 673579090, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Pictured: Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith, Credit line: – / JPI Studios / Avalon
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- Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith attends the 2022 Vanity Fair Oscar Party Hosted By Radhika Jones celebrating the 94th annual Academy Awards at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on March 27, 2022 in Beverly Hills, California,Image: 673579196, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Pictured: Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith, Credit line: – / JPI Studios / Avalon
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- Jada Pinkett Smith, Willow Smith, Will Smith, Jaden Smith and Trey Smith attends the 2022 Vanity Fair Oscar Party Hosted By Radhika Jones celebrating the 94th annual Academy Awards at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on March 27, 2022 in Beverly Hills, California,Image: 673579577, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Pictured: Jada Pinkett Smith, Willow Smith, Will Smith, Jaden Smith and Tr, Credit line: – / JPI Studios / Avalon
Bad marriage for life. Someone should write a movie called “Bad Marriage for Life.” I would watch!
Why “bad marriage “? That’s a bit judgmental.
Will and Jada said that during red table talk, bad marriage for life.
Persephone, it’s a quote. Will and Jada said it when talking about their relationship.
Its a riff off the Bad Boys movies quote “Bad Boys for Life”
I would watch too, but they can’t play themselves in the roles.
I do not see it like she’s weak either. It was odd to see someone going on stage uninvited but I honestly like him defending her now that I know the history. He seems like a really really good husband. at the same time Chris rock’s joke was bad and mean and not at all funny or interesting but the way he reacted to being hit, I liked that too. Jada seems to share just enough. She doesn’t act like she’s too precious to share stuff with her fans— many celebs would not have put out 2 (at least) comments on “the incident “ so quickly
After watching the war Senators beat up on K. Brown the week earlier, I had no problem with Will defending Jada. I find Amy Schumer “ traumatized by violence” shtick more problematic than the slap to be honest. Yep. Jada trying to move on so she can deal with fall out
I also thought of the treatment (future) Justice Brown has received when I heard about this “joke” and the slap.
There’s a LOT of context beyond just “Rock and Smith may have had a beef from before”. Black women, even powerful ones, are constantly taking the brunt of jokes and verbal abuse.
@Honoura Just a reminder Chris has been using Jada as the butt of his jokes for over a decade.
Yeah it’s creepy harassment. Mainly I respected his ability to keep working after being hit in the face but in general I’m not a big fan and there’s something weird about the way he’s obsessed with her or whatever it is
Will did more than go on stage uninvited . He slapped Chris.
I do think he paid a very heavy price and we can move on. Hope Jada gets a little peace.
Agreed with the article assertions about the piece from US weekly and add that the Smith’s are keeping it close to the chest.
They have nothing to gain in the perpetual culture wars.
Ah this is why she was getting dragged on Twitter. i’ve had so much revionist history playing in my head about this. i’m still waiting for Chris Rock’s apology,
I’ve always been pretty rough on her too, but since her hair starting falling out, I found myself emotionally attached to her in some way. Never thought the slap heard ’round the world was a man protecting his woman thing either, because she’s nobody’s bitch, like no bod ee. She slings her shit on a red table for global feasts and autopsies. I’m positive she’s ready for this to be done lol.
She had him on her show and told him all the things she disliked about him and why he was responsible for her cheating for everyone to hear. She is not sympathetic please stop this narrative. He needs out of that marriage. He is obviously not well.
The marriage is incomprensible to me (and isn’t she the one who admitted to an affair with her *kid’s* friend??), but he’s a grown man and the two of them have apparently agreed to the parameters of their relationship, including his appearance on her show. I sure as heck could not do it, but I also don’t see casting her as the abuser in the marriage without knowing more. It doesn’t seem like a healthy relationship from the outside, but our vote doesn’t count !
If he were on the show and stayed while she explained then he agreed to do it. He could have said “let’s do this in private” or left.
Yeah cause anyone in an abusive relationship with a narcissist can just say no. 🙄 Abuse can be female to male, too. It works both ways.
Totally agree with all of this, so weird and hard to watch.
@Josephine said: “(and isn’t she the one who admitted to an affair with her *kid’s* friend??)”
LOL the words “affair” never actually came out her mouth. Like if she refused to say that word. As much as Will kept trying to coax it out of her and get her to say the word. That’s when she famously uttered the word “entanglement” to describe having an affair with Jaden’s friend, (who was also battling mental/emotional issues at the time) that Jada was looking feel good about her self. She tells Will in his face that it had been years since she had felt good, and that during that time with August she actually felt good. The look of dejection on Will’s face was sad to watch.
Right?!! She’s horrid.
@Jessica, yes +1000
I agree, Jada also makes everything about herself somehow, Willows problems at red table ended up being about Jada not really wanting to be a wife in the first place, and all the mean things she has said to Will on that show are just… I don’t know that Will is some angel either but I find her emotionally abusive, all in the name of “speaking your truth”. Some things she says are so mean about her family!
I feel like there’s a lot of manipulation in that marriage. His Instagram post talking about how she’s helping him with his ‘fragile ego’ made me wonder. She laughed immediately following the slap. It’s curious what she’s saying now.
It’s US Weekly, so not buying what they’re selling. These gossip rags just want to keep the story going to rake in the 💵💰
This does not make me like her at all. It sounds like a put down of Will. Support your man Jada!
So, shouldn’t Jada’s opinion be given the most “weight” out of anyone? Even she thinks Will shouldn’t have slapped Chris Rock.
^^^ Exactly this!
Except we don’t know her reasons. Perhaps Jada knew that “fighting back” was a losing battle and would only bring bad PR.
According to “sources” who may or may not be real. She has a show where she has shared her thoughts and feelings about all kinds of stuff. She has social media where she has done the same, but now she needs “sources” to run to this magazine to tell her thoughts? Really?
I just re-watched the Scream movies and she and Omar Epps do the opening cameos being the first victims in Scream 2- and she was adorable. She is who she is, re the TMI and Red Table Talk- and i’ve never had a strong opinion about her. This whole thing wasn’t about her.
My first thought was- if Will Smith was that quick to fly off the handle- how does he act toward her and his kids at home. That worries me.
Or maybe it is totally out of character and he is fighting a personal battle we know nothing about that made him so on edge.
But this was never about her, and it sucks that she takes heat for any of it.
I will always have a soft spot for her career wise because she was in Tales from the Crypt presents Demon Knight way back in the day and I unabashedly love that film. I forgot she was in Scream 2 as well.
Yep, I mean, we all loved and embraced Beyonce’s entire Lemonade album about what her husband did wrong and how she healed, how they moved forward, etc. Yet Jada gets derision. I just don’t get it. Will mentions in his book that Jada had to be silent and just go with it on many things while he was coming up. She had to make a lot of concessions, and it’s something he didn’t notice at the time or want to acknowledge. I think they are now in a season of their marriage and relationship where he wants her to have a voice. He’s putting work in through a therapist to process and deal. If they are covering it on Red Table Talk, most likely, it’s something they have both agreed to emotionally.
Am I alone in hoping that this does not become a Red Table Talk topic? From what I’ve seen, everyone involved in this has a lot of work to do to get to the bottom of exactly why that moment happened. And trust, America is not ready for that conversation.
I support them doing them, but their topics do make me cringe. Personally, I don’t like having my business out on the front street, but Jada has a whole different mindset about many things. Her perception and conceptualizations are widely different from mainstream. For example, she doesn’t even believe in marriage; that was Will Smith. She thought the whole concept and process were anti-woman. In her mind, a wedding ceremony should be about people marathoning/battling towards one another in brutality to prove they are genuinely there one for another. Like that’s Jada’s thinking pattern, and she means that ish.
One thing Will & Jada has NEVA had an issue with…is speaking for themselves…so I will just wait on that “Red Talk Table” to air regarding this…..
I know they’ve been together for a long time but lately it’s looking pretty strained and unhappy from the outside. It seems like whenever you hear so much publicly about a “strong relationship” that’s a sign that it’s about to go under. Maybe they’d be happier apart. I hope they each have a really good therapist and plenty of individual support.
It seems possible to me that from Jada’s point of view, Will’s actions were more about Will being offended on his own behalf, that Chris Rock would essentially not take Will seriously enough that he would refrain from insulting Jada, than an actual defense of Jada. But I have had the experience of being hassled by a guy when someone I was dating was around and there was a verbal altercation and MULTIPLE TIMES the guys I was dating have said “I can’t believe he did that with me right there” as opposed to “I can’t believe he did that”. Like all they really cared about was that they had been disrespected. Which, to be fair, was probably part of the goal of the person hassling me but that’s not how the actual abuse was directed.
I’m not a fan of hers, never have been, but I’m a fan of his and he loves her so it’s like John and Yoko, gotta kind of have to put up with her lol. Whatever, their marriage is theirs and none of my beeswax.
The “I mom so hard” podcast hosts were talking about this and said Jada should have just flexed her amazing biceps when Chris mentioned GI Jane. That would have been hilarious!
I mom so hard is two white women so their take (much like that of many white women in this matter) is probably lacking much of the nuance of the situation.
Also, Jada was wearing long sleeves so her awesome biceps weren’t even visible.
There’s video of the slap where you can see Jada, and she laughs very genuinely along with the rest of the audience when Chris exclaims Will smacked him, then freezes when Will starts yelling. I’m pretty sure she like everyone else thought it was some surprise bit at first.
Will was strutting and smirking while walking off after the slap, preening like a peacock. He didn’t even look at Jada after sitting down, just went straight into yelling at Chris, all jutted chin and puffed chest. I get that he felt compelled to defend his wife, but the way he went about that makes it clear he was entirely wrapped up in his own self image. If it was about Jada maybe the slap still happens but then he’d have gone to her, reached for her, consoled her etc. Instead he was just in his own little rage bubble, not even glancing her way.
“See, I never took the slap as some kind of statement that Will believes Jada is delicate and in need of protection. Even strong women can use some backup, you know?”
THANK YOU, Kaiser!! I am considered conventionally pretty and am very feminine. And I work in software. It’s not a great combination for my job. Before that, I was an opera singer. The amount of groping and harassment and jokes made at my expense have been incessant my entire life, starting in 5th grade. Gay men, straight men, white men, non-white men, all the men. I had to become so strong to survive, and I’m 5’7. Jada is way more beautiful than me, and TINY, and an actress, and Black. I can’t imagine how much harder life has been for her. I went through my whole life with no back up, no protection. Not from my family, not from anyone but myself. And it is so exhausting to always be strong. I don’t think there is ANY shame in having gratitude for your partner or for others to defend you. And I imagine Jada must feel the same sometimes. Strong women still feel just as much, even if we pretend we don’t or tell ourselves we don’t.
That said, when your husband tries to defend you and makes the situations so much worse, that SUCKS. But we can’t know what really went through either of their heads, and she seems like the type of person who can turn this into something positive, like use the attention to bring awareness to alopecia research funding or charities that help women get access to therapy. That kind of thing. I hope she does. And that they both do.
She seems emotionally abusive. I saw a video showing her give will a nod before he went on stage so to me it seems that she was in control. I think she has emasculated him which caused the rage. She openly discusses her “Entanglement” which for most men would bring shame. This is a toxic relationship not relationship goals.
Totally. I know it’s the day after and no one goes back to look at additional posts but just in case, I just want you to know that I agree.