Jada Pinkett Smith has opened up about her reaction to the infamous moment Will Smith slapped Chris Rock at the 2022 Academy Awards.
Speaking during a recent interview with NBC News that will air in full on October 17, 2023, Pinkett Smith recalled her feelings following Smith slapping Rock. According to the actress and talk show host, she was equally shocked by the moment, more so because she and Smith had been separated for some time and did not refer to each other as husband and wife.
“First of all, I’m really shocked because, mind you, I’m not there — we haven’t called each other husband and wife in a long time,” Pinkett Smith said. “I’m like, ‘What is going on right now?'”
Pinkett Smith was worried for Will after the slap
After the slap, Pinkett Smith said she was “really worried for Will” and revealed that, after the moment, Rock went over to speak to her about the moment. Despite Rock trying to apologize though, Pinkett Smith said she was still worried about Will, who was very angry at Rock.
“I’m just out of it because I’m really worried about Will,” said Pinkett Smith. “And Will’s still talking because now he’s mad that Chris is still talking to me. And I’m like, ‘Chris, this is about some old shit.’ That’s all I could think to say, right? I couldn’t really take in his apology.”
As for what caused the moment, Pinkett Smith also spoke about the blame she faced at the hands of some. According to her, Pinkett Smith believes that a 2020 episode of Pinkett Smith’s The Red Table was to blame for that. The episode became infamous after Pinkett Smith admitted to having an “entanglement” with R&B artist August Alsina.
“My honest opinion about that is that that narrative is that it had more to do with the false narrative that I helped to create on The Red Table,” Pinkett Smith said. “’Because of the adulterous wife, who forced him to go to the table and sit there,’ you know what I mean? ‘And now, look what she’s done. She has the power with an eye roll to make him go up there and slap somebody onstage.’”
