Actress Jada Pinkett-Smith has opened up about a surprising encounter she had with comedian Chris Rock amid news that she and her husband, Will Smith, separated.
In an exclusive interview with People, Jada said that Chris called her and expressed interest in taking her out on a date. She said she was shocked and confused by his proposal, as she was still married to Smith then.
“He called me, and basically, he was like, ‘I’d love to take you out.’ And I was like, ‘What do you mean? He said, ‘Well, I heard that you and Will are getting a divorce.’ And I said, ‘No, we’re not getting a divorce. Where did you hear that from?’”
Jada said that Chris apologized profusely and had read some tabloid reports claiming the couple was splitting up. She said she forgave him and thought they had cleared the air.
However, things took a dramatic turn at the 2022 Oscars when Chris jested at Jada’s shaved head, which she has due to the autoimmune condition alopecia. The joke did not sit well with Will Smith, who walked up to the stage and slapped Chris Rock on live TV.
Will later apologized for his violent reaction and said he was defending his wife’s honour. Jada said she initially thought the incident was a skit and did not realize it was serious until Will returned to his seat.
She revealed that Chris came down to the end of the stage and apologised to her, but she told him she could not talk about it then.
Jada said she has not spoken to him since then, but she hopes all the misunderstandings can be resolved and there can be peace.
She also said she regrets not reaching out to Chris after he hosted the 2016 Oscars when he made jokes about her boycott of the award show due to the lack of diversity among the nominees.
She said she did not mean to offend him or anyone else with her stance, but she also did not recognize the pressure he was under as a host.
“I think that there might be some misunderstanding between Chris and I as far as the 2016 Oscars. I think that he might’ve taken offence, which I meant no harm in offending. That wasn’t my intention.”
Jada’s memoir Worthy is out on Oct. 17 and details her journey of self-discovery and healing after facing various challenges in her life, including addiction, infidelity, and health issues.
Source iHarare
