ReportWire

Tag: Jada Pinkett Smith

  • Funniest, Wildest & Messiest BOSSIP Headlines Of 2023

    Funniest, Wildest & Messiest BOSSIP Headlines Of 2023

    Source: Carol M. Highsmith/Buyenlarge/Getty Images

    2023 was another Golden Corral buffet of premium shenanigans from Pound Town to Montgomery, Alabama where Ancestrally-Charged African-American Avengers dragged anglo-aggressors into the alabaster abyss during the now-infamous “Fade In The Water.”

    There was chair-swangin’ and pain-brangin’ everywhere during the chaotic scene that immediately blew up the whole entire internet.

    Easily the greatest moment of 2023, the now-infamous “Riverboat Rumble” stirred up HILARIOUS jokes, memes, and commentary in yet another example of Black Twitter being the epicenter of entertainment.

    It was a year of SkeeYees, super freaky pop-pops, shiny Renaissance fabrics, and the hoaxiest hoax of all hoaxes committed by Cheez-It-dusted viral villain Carlee Russell.

    Carlee Russell

    Source: Hoover Police Department

    After days of confusion and public scrutiny, Russell admitted that she was not abducted after “stopping to check on a baby walking alone.”

    There was no baby on Alabama’s Interstate I459 and the entire thing was described as an “elaborate” hoax

    Russell’s attorney, Emory Anthony, sent a statement to Hoover Police Chief Nick Derzis confirming that her kidnapping was a farce.

    “Dear Chief Derzis, my client has given me permission to make the following statement on her behalf: There was no kidnapping on July 13, 2023. My client did not see a baby on the side of the road. My client did not leave the Hoover area when she was identified as a missing person. My client did not have any help in this incident, but this was a single act done by herself,’’ Anthony wrote according to AL.com.

    Russell was eventually found guilty of two misdemeanor crimes, false reporting to law enforcement authorities, and falsely reporting an incident with the judge recommending that she pay $18,000 in restitution and spend six months in jail per charge for a total of one year.

    Overall, 2023 was a charcuterie platter of WTFery with Kelis (reportedly) bringing her milkshake to Bill Murray‘s yard, krusty Karens Karening around town, and Jada Pinkett Smith telling ALL of her business (EVERY BIT OF IT) to anyone who would listen.

    What was your fave BOSSIP headline of 2023? Tell us down below and enjoy ALL of the BEST BOSSIP headlines of the year on the flip.

    Alex Ford

    Source link

  • Jada Pinkett Smith Says She'll 'Never Leave' Will Smith After His 'Holy Slap' As Actor Is Spotted In Miami With Jada Lookalike

    Jada Pinkett Smith Says She'll 'Never Leave' Will Smith After His 'Holy Slap' As Actor Is Spotted In Miami With Jada Lookalike

    Jada Pinkett Smith is opening up about how her relationship with Will Smith changed after the infamous Oscars slap, something the actress is now calling the “holy slap.”

    Source: Variety / Getty

    In a new interview with the Daily Mail‘s YOU Magazine, the actress revealed that her husband’s decision to slap Chris Rock during the 2022 Academy Awards earned a new title, calling it the “holy slap.”

    “I nearly didn’t even attend the Oscars that year, but I’m glad I did,” Jada told the outlet.”I call it the ‘holy slap’ now because so many positive things came after it.”

    Jada went on to say that Will slapping the comedian after he made a joke about her appearance made a big impact on their marriage.

    “That moment of the s*** hitting the fan is when you see where you really are,” said Jada, who revealed in her recent memoir that she and Will had been separated for seven years. “After all those years trying to figure out if I would leave Will’s side, it took that slap for me to see I will never leave him.”

    She continued,

    “Who knows where our relationship would be if that hadn’t happened?”

    Pinkett Smith’s proclamation that she will “never leave” her husband comes at an interesting time, as Will was just spotted with another woman.

    The actor was seen leaving Miami’s Art Basel with a woman who looks a lot like Jada on Thursday.

    An inside source told Page Six that Smith spent all morning “carefully and thoughtfully” viewing contemporary art at the fair before heading to Pizzeria Lucali in Miami Beach with the mystery woman and others.

    “The group of 10 was seen at the restaurant having great time eating pizza and laughing,” the source says.

    In the photos of Will and the mystery woman, the actor is flashing a huge smile, as Jada’s doppelganger walks closely behind him. The woman was sporting a pair of black sunglasses and sported a shaved head, much like Pinkett Smith.

    Rebecah Jacobs

    Source link

  • Jada Pinkett Smith Reacts To Will Smith’s Former Friend Alleging Intimate Act Between Him & Duane Martin

    Jada Pinkett Smith Reacts To Will Smith’s Former Friend Alleging Intimate Act Between Him & Duane Martin

    Jada Pinkett Smith isn’t letting the intimacy rumors about Will Smith and Duane Martin slide. She recently revealed she and Will plan to take legal action in response.

    In an interview with gossip vlogger Tasha K, a former friend and business partner of Will alleges he caught Smith and Duane in the middle of a sexual act. Brother Bilaal told Tasha he witnessed the alleged moment after walking into Duane’s dressing room. He went on to graphically describe the act and the alleged size of Will’s genitals.

    RELATED: Will Smith Professes Everlasting Support For Jada Pinkett Smith

    Social media has exploded with reactions to Brother’s claims, including conversations about this being a resurfaced rumor from years ago. At this time, no public physical evidence has been released to support Brother Bilaal’s claims.

    See his allegations below. 

    Will Smith & Jada React To Brother Bilaal’s Claims, Sources Say Duane Martin Won’t Respond

    However, it seems like Jada Pinkett Smith and Will Smith won’t be letting those types of talks slide this time around. In fact, a rep for the ‘I Am Legend’ actor slammed the rumors in a statement to TMZ on Tuesday (Nov. 15).

    “This story is completely fabricated, and the claim is unequivocally false,” the rep said.

    As for Duane Martin, TMZ reports that sources close to him say he has no plans to address the sexual allegations. The source reportedly called the allegations “so ridiculous.”

    TMZ was also the first to report, via a source, that Will was considering legal action. But on Wednesday (Nov. 15), Jada Pinkett Smith confirmed that’s the direction she and her husband are heading in.

    Speaking on ‘The Breakfast Club,‘ Jada blatantly said that legal action is in the pipeline. However, she did not specify if Tasha K — who previously lost a defamation case brought by Cardi B — will also be sued.

    Jada also said Brother Bilaal tried to “shake them down” in the past.

    “It’s ridiculous, and it’s nonsense, and this is a person that tried a shakedown, a money shakedown that didn’t work. We’re going to take legal action because it’s one thing to have your opinion about somebody versus just making up salacious, malicious stories. So that’s actionable, so we gon’ roll with that.”

    Jada added that Will previously attempted to backpay Brother for his “idea” that he was involved in Will Smith’s book. Brother allegedly declined Will’s offer, but Jada said that was a situation she had limited knowledge of.

    However, rumors come with the territory of fame, Jada said. Still, the Smiths are “definitely” taking the sexual allegations through legal channels.

    “It’s not true. We gon’ take care of it, and that’s that,” Jada said.

    As for how Will Smith is dealing with the talks, his wife says he knows how to find a joke in every situation, including this one.

    Watch her full commentary on the topic below.

    And if she wasn’t clear enough on TBC, Jada also told TMZ, “We’re suing,” in a street interview.

    RELATED: Jada Pinkett Smith Says Revealing State Of Her Marriage With Will Brought Them ‘Closer’

    Cassandra S

    Source link

  • Britney Spears and Jada Pinkett Smith demonstrate the delicate dance of the celeb memoir | CNN

    Britney Spears and Jada Pinkett Smith demonstrate the delicate dance of the celeb memoir | CNN



    CNN
     — 

    Would you want to revisit your life and your past in order to share it all, both the good and the bad?

    I certainly wouldn’t, but I’m not famous nor do I have famous people problems (knock on wood). Being a celebrity is something many people dream about, but while the riches certainly make life more comfortable, what comes a long with it probably isn’t what most of us would want.

    Let’s talk about it.

    Both Britney Spears and Jada Pinkett Smith grasp the concept that drama sells.

    Before their memoirs – Spears’ book is titled “The Woman in Me” and Pinkett Smith’s is “Worthy” – were recently released, there were plenty of tabloid treats from them teased throughout the media landscape.

    The two biggest revelations from the stars’ tomes both happened to involve their celebrity relationships.

    Spears shared that she had an abortion during her time with Justin Timberlake in the early aughts, while Pinkett Smith went public with the news that she and Will Smith have been living separate lives since 2016.

    While both of these revelations sparked conversation, they also showed how there’s a delicate dance when it comes to the art of publishing a celebrity tell-all.

    On the one hand, you have to share enough to get people excited for the book. Yet at the same time you don’t want to reveal too much, because then what is the incentive to purchase said book?

    It should be said, though, that both Spears and Pinkett Smith are most probably used to a lot of attention by now.

    David Beckham and Victoria Beckham in 2004.

    Another instance of a star laying it all out there for public consumption is the “Beckham” docuseries on Netflix.

    I am far from a soccer fan, but I greatly enjoyed visiting the highs – and lows – of David Beckham’s stellar career. The series is really well done and filmmaker Fisher Stevens got both Beckham and his wife, Spice Girls member Victoria Beckham, to open up about difficult times.

    One of those tough times featured in the doc is the decades-old alleged affair between David Beckham and his former personal assistant Rebecca Loos.

    In a recent interview, Loos complained that Beckham was portraying “himself as a victim” in the series. That’s another tricky area when it comes to celebs telling their life stories – it affects others who were also there, and who are portrayed via the star’s lens and recollections.

    Taylor Swift performs during the

    At this point I am aiming to see how many newsletters in a row I can talk about Taylor Swift.

    This time it’s the fact that she’s dropping “1989 (Taylor’s Version),” Swift’s latest rerecording of her old music after losing her masters.

    Yes, much of the recent attention paid to Swift has more to do with her love life than her love of music, but if you know Swift you know that there is a direct correlation between the two.

    I don’t even have to sell it here because it’s Taylor Swift, the star of the moment, and her music. Enough said – except that the new(ish) album debuted Friday.

    Fabrice Morvan attends the

    Reader you know it’s true – Milli Vanilli was the duo to beat back in the day. Rob Pilatus and Fab Morvan had hits in the late 1980s/early 1990s and were flying high in the music industry.

    Until they weren’t.

    A new self-titled documentary traces their rise and eventual fall when the world learned they weren’t actually singing on those songs. It’s a more tender look at the pair than one might expect, given the vitriol that was spewed about the controversy at the time which resulted in their best new artist Grammy being revoked.

    The “Milli Vanilli” documentary is streaming on Paramount+.

    Source link

  • Jada Pinkett Smith Announces She’s Pregnant With Chris Rock’s Baby

    Jada Pinkett Smith Announces She’s Pregnant With Chris Rock’s Baby

    Read more…

    Source link

  • ‘SNL’ Nails Jada Pinkett Smith’s 1 Personality Trait That Rubs Many The Wrong Way

    ‘SNL’ Nails Jada Pinkett Smith’s 1 Personality Trait That Rubs Many The Wrong Way

    Jada Pinkett Smith is many things — an actor, talk show host, and even the former lead singer of a nu metal band. But one thing she certainly is not is a straight shooter.

    On the most recent episode of “Saturday Night Live,” Ego Nwodim pegged Pinkett Smith’s tendency to spin the truth by portraying the “Girls Trip” star as slightly more forthright.

    And a more straightforward Pinkett Smith — who’s devoid of cryptic or “flowery” explanations and cutesy euphemisms that leaves one’s brain entangled in confusion — made for a very humorous portrait of a woman who never really cuts to the chase.

    “Sorry if I seem a little tired,” Nwodim’s Pinkett Smith told Michael Che during the sketch show’s “Weekend Update” segment. “I’ve been on the ‘Today’ show 14 times in three days.”

    This honest explanation as to why Pinkett Smith may look exhausted after her recent week-and-a-half media blitz to peddle her new memoir “Worthy” is extremely refreshing.

    Nwodim’s more blunt portrayal is even funnier when her version of Pinkett Smith begins to explain excerpts from “Worthy” about her unconventional and messy relationship with husband Will Smith — which the real Pinkett Smith focused on during her promotional tour.

    “The day we got married, I knew there was gonna be trouble. At our wedding, someone stood up and objected,” Nwodim’s Pinkett Smith told Che.

    “Who was it?” Che asked.

    “It was me,” Nwodim’s Pinkett Smith casually responded.

    But Nwodim didn’t stop there. As Pinkett Smith, she also revealed the secret to a successful marriage is to “never go to bed happy” and that, despite her rocky relationship with Smith, she’s currently in a good place.

    “Nothing makes me feel stronger than publicly cucking my millionaire husband,” Nwodim shared.

    Nwodim’s Pinkett Smith also throws in some of the “Red Table Talk’’ host’s euphemisms. When Che asked Nwodim about Pinkett Smith’s decision to describe her relationship with Smith as “brutiful” (meaning “brutal” and “beautiful”) in her book, Nwodim responded with: “Yup, uh-huh, and other people describe it as ‘brunhealthy.’”

    But the true chef’s kiss of Nwodim’s portrayal is when her version of Pinkett Smith tries to abruptly shift the conversation away from her and Smith’s marriage to her second-favorite topic — Tupac.

    To see Nwodim’s hilarious skewering of Pinkett Smith for yourself, check out the video above.

    Source link

  • Will Smith Responds To Jada Pinkett Smith’s Confessions In Her New Book

    Will Smith Responds To Jada Pinkett Smith’s Confessions In Her New Book

    The article paraphrases Smith, writing that Pinkett Smith “had lived a life more on the edge than he’d realized, and she is more resilient, clever and compassionate than he’d understood.”

    “When you’ve been with someone for more than half of your life, a sort of emotional blindness sets in, and you can all too easily lose your sensitivity to their hidden nuances and subtle beauties,” Smith wrote in an email to The New York Times.

    Among the revelation that Pinkett Smith and Smith had been separated for the past seven years, Pinkett Smith also writes in her memoir that Chris Rock asked her out in 2016 when he thought she and Smith were separated (they were not).

    Pinkett Smith also addressed Smith slapping Rock during the 2022 Academy Awards after Rock made a joke at her expense. When Smith yelled at Rock to keep his wife’s name out of Rock’s mouth, Pinkett Smith said on “Today” that she was surprised because she and Smith hadn’t called each other husband and wife in a “long time.”

    “And I think that when we just look at human nature… when you look at the breadcrumbs, people need something to blame,” Pinkett Smith said.

    Source link

  • Jada Pinkett Smith Announces She’s Pregnant With Chris Rock’s Baby

    Jada Pinkett Smith Announces She’s Pregnant With Chris Rock’s Baby

    LOS ANGELES—Sharing the exciting personal development with new maternity photos, actor and talk show host Jada Pinkett Smith announced Friday she was pregnant with actor and comedian Chris Rock’s baby. “Chris and I are so overjoyed to be welcoming a new bundle of joy into this world, as we’ve been trying for a long time,” said Pinkett Smith, revealing how the two actors had been flirtatious since starring in the animated film Madagascar and had finally slept together the night of her husband Will Smith’s infamous slap. “When I saw Christ humiliated and broken after he had been slapped across the face, that’s when I knew I wanted to give into this sexual tension that had been building for so long. We’ve been dating ever since, and we just recently moved in together. Of course people out there are going to assume Will would be upset, but he’s actually been our biggest supporter.” At press time, Pinkett Smith announced she would be naming her baby Tupac.

    This Week’s Most Viral News: October 13, 2023

    Source link

  • Jada Pinkett Smith reveals what Chris Rock said to her after Oscars slap – National | Globalnews.ca

    Jada Pinkett Smith reveals what Chris Rock said to her after Oscars slap – National | Globalnews.ca

    Jada Pinkett Smith has revealed what happened between her and Chris Rock immediately after her husband, Will Smith, slapped him across the face during the 2022 Oscars ceremony.

    The incident has been referred to as “the slap heard around the world,” after Rock made a G.I. Jane joke about Pinkett Smith, who suffers from alopecia and suffers hair loss. Smith took issue with the joke and walked onto the Oscars stage from his front-row seat and open-palm slapped Rock across the face.

    Smith returned to his seat and shouted for Rock to “Keep my wife’s name out of your f–-ing mouth!”

    In an interview with Hoda Kotb of NBC’s Today show, set to air in its entirety Friday night, Pinkett Smith revealed that she and Rock had a brief conversation immediately after the slap while snippets for the best documentary nominees were being shown.

    Story continues below advertisement


    Click to play video: 'Will Smith on the infamous Oscars slap of Chris Rock: ‘I lost it’'


    Will Smith on the infamous Oscars slap of Chris Rock: ‘I lost it’


    “Chris looks to me and he says, ‘Jada, I meant no harm,’” she recalls. “I’m just out of it because I’m really worried about Will. And Will’s still talking. Now he’s mad because Chris is talking to me.”

    “And I go, ‘Chris, this is about some old s–t.’ That’s all I could think of saying, right? And I couldn’t really take in his apology.”

    It recently came to light that Pinkett Smith and Rock have a long history together. The Matrix Reloaded actor revealed in an interview with People this week that Rock asked her out on a date while rumours were swirling that her and Smith were headed for divorce.

    “I think every summer, all the reports would come out that me and Will were getting a divorce. And this particular summer, Chris, he thought that we were getting a divorce,” she said.

    Story continues below advertisement

    “So he called me and basically he was like, ‘I’d love to take you out.’ And I was like, ‘What do you mean?’ He was like, ‘Well, aren’t you and Will getting a divorce?’ I was like, ‘No. Chris, those are just rumors.’ He was appalled. And he profusely apologized, and that was that.”

    As for Smith, he explained in an interview that took place shortly after the 2022 Oscars that there were “many nuances and complexities” as to why he slapped Rock.

    “But at the end of the day, I just — I lost it.”

    And yet, while Pinkett Smith and Smith are still legally married, they are no longer romantically together, Pinkett Smith shared in the interview with Kotb.

    Trending Now

    “It was not a divorce on paper,” Kotb clarified.

    “Right,” Pinkett Smith responded.

    “…but it was a divorce,” Kotb said.

    “Divorce,” Pinkett Smith emphasized.

    According to Pinkett Smith, the pair have been separated since 2016 while maintaining the appearance of being a committed, married couple in the public eye.

    “By the time we got to 2016, we were just exhausted with trying. I think we were both kind of just still stuck in our fantasy of what we thought the other person should be,” she said.

    Story continues below advertisement

    So when Smith told Rock to “keep my wife’s name” out of his mouth after the Oscars slap, Pinkett Smith said she was shocked.

    “We haven’t called each other husband and wife in a long time. I’m like ‘What is going on right now?’”

    After the slap, Smith went on to win the best actor award for his role in King Richard. He has also been banned from Academy Awards for 10 years.

    Discussing his behaviour that night, Kotb said it seemed “totally out of character” for Smith.

    “It’s not him whatsoever,” Pinkett Smith agreed.


    Click to play video: 'Chris Rock references Will Smith’s Oscars slap in live comedy special'


    Chris Rock references Will Smith’s Oscars slap in live comedy special




    &copy 2023 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

    Kathryn Mannie

    Source link

  • ‘I said I can’t talk about this now’: Jada Pinkett Smith reveals Chris Rock ‘tried to apologize’ after Will Smith Oscars slap episode

    ‘I said I can’t talk about this now’: Jada Pinkett Smith reveals Chris Rock ‘tried to apologize’ after Will Smith Oscars slap episode

    Jada Pinkett Smith has been making headlines lately after she made some shocking revelations on her marital status with actor Will Smith. The renowned American actress confirmed that she and Smith parted ways in 2016, and have been leading separate lives since then. Jada Pinkett Smith also opened up about Will Smith‘s infamous Oscars slap episode, that involved comedian-host Chris Rock, recently.

    For the unversed, the actress made some shocking revelations on her dynamics with estranged husband Will Smith, and actor-comedian Chris Rock, in her latest chat with People Magazine. In the interview, Jada Pinkett Smith revealed that Rock had ‘tried to apologize’ after the Oscars 2022 event. However, she further added that she never spoke to him after the eventful night.

    Jada Pinkett Smith reveals Chris Rock tried to apologize to her

    In her interview with People Magazine, Jada Pinkett Smith recalled Will Smith’s infamous Oscars 2022 slap episode, which happened after the show’s host Chris Rock cracked an insensitive joke about her health condition. “Chris came down to the end of the stage and tried to apologize to me. He said, ‘I didn’t mean you any harm,’” revealed Pinkett Smith. 

    However, the actress, who was in complete shock, refused to discuss the incident with the comedian at that point. “I said, ‘I can’t talk about this now, Chris. This is some old shit.’ I thought this was about the Oscar 2016 and… the stuff that they had before I even came into the picture in the late ‘80s. I’ve got to leave that to Will and Chris to talk about, but they got their stuff for sure,” Jada Pinkett Smith further added. 

    Jada Pinkett Smith never spoke to Chris Rock again

    According to Jada Pinkett Smith, she never spoke to Chris Rock again after the eventful Oscars 2022 night. “No, I haven’t talked to Chris ROCK…Do I have any desire to talk to Chris? Here’s my desire- I just hope that all the misunderstanding around this can be cleared up and that there can be peace,” the actress said in her chat with People Magazine, hinting that she is done talking about the incident over and over.

    “I would just have to say that I am not really here to make any judgment on how people decide to express themselves and express their art. I’ll say that several times I’ve had my feelings hurt, for sure. I’ve had my feelings hurt a lot by Chris. But at the end of the day, too, being in the spotlight, it comes with the territory,” she concluded.

    ALSO READ: ‘I was in so much pain’: Jada Pinkett Smith reveals she ‘made a plan’ for her ‘death’ at 40; Details inside

    1136847

    Source link

  • Jada Pinkett Smith says she and Will Smith were separated for 6 years before Oscars slap

    Jada Pinkett Smith says she and Will Smith were separated for 6 years before Oscars slap

    Actor Jada Pinkett Smith was surprised that her husband Will Smith slapped Chris Rock at the Oscars in 2022, she told People magazine in an interview posted Wednesday. “I thought, ‘This is a skit,’” she told the magazine.

    Pinkett Smith also told People that at the time of the Oscars incident, she and Smith had been separated for six years.

    Pinkett Smith spoke to the outlet ahead of the release of her new memoir “Worthy,” which will be released by HarperCollins imprint Dey Street Books later this month.

    In the interview, she broke her silence about the Oscars incident, where Smith walked onstage during the awards show and struck Rock after the Oscars host made a joke about Pinkett Smith’s hair, which is shaved because she has alopecia.

    “I was like, ‘There’s no way that Will hit him,’” Pinkett Smith said. “It wasn’t until Will started to walk back to his chair that I even realized it wasn’t a skit.”

    After the Oscars, when the couple were alone, Pinkett Smith said she asked Smith, “Are you OK?”

    Jada Pinkett Smith at the Oscars
    Actress Jada Pinkett Smith attends the 94th Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California, on March 27, 2022.

    ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images


    Pinkett Smith told People she and Smith were “still figuring it out.”

    “We’ve been doing some really heavy-duty work together,” she said. “We just got deep love for each other and we are going to figure out what that looks like for us.”

    Pinkett Smith also opened up about her mental health in the People interview, discussing her struggles with depression — including considering suicide — and her use of the psychedelic drug ayahuasca.

    She said that when she and Smith became a couple she was being treated for depression and taking Prozac.

    “Once I met Will, I completely abandoned my mental health. I was so intoxicated by him and our dynamic. I really felt like I’m cured,” the 52-year-old told People.

    But by the time she was 40, Pinkett Smith said, she was in “so much pain.”

    “I couldn’t figure a way out besides death,” she said. “So I made a plan.” She said stopped having suicidal thoughts when she started taking ayahuasca.

    “It gave me a new intimate relationship with myself that I had never had before,” she said.

    She said Smith and their adult children have also taken it.

    If you or someone you know might be at risk of suicide, there is help. Call or text the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988 or visit 988lifeline.org.

    Alex Sundby

    Alex Sundby is a senior editor for CBSNews.com.

    Source link

  • Jada Pinkett Smith Reveals First Words To Will Smith After Infamous Oscars Slap

    Jada Pinkett Smith Reveals First Words To Will Smith After Infamous Oscars Slap

    Jada Pinkett Smith is getting more candid than ever about the slap heard ’round the world.

    The 52-year-old actor, who has alopecia, literally had a front-row seat at the 2022 Academy Awards when host Chris Rock joked about her shaved head ― and when her husband, Will Smith, walked on stage and slapped Rock in the face in front of a live television audience of millions.

    Smith later said he was “deeply remorseful” for his actions, and Pinkett Smith expressed a hope that “that these two intelligent, capable men have an opportunity to heal, talk this out, and reconcile.” Now, though, she’s offering a much closer look into her thoughts and feelings since that night.

    “I thought, ‘This is a skit,’” Pinkett Smith told People in an exclusive interview published Wednesday. “I was like, ‘There’s no way that Will hit him.’ It wasn’t until Will started to walk back to his chair that I even realized it wasn’t a skit.”

    Pinkett Smith said her first words to Smith after he sat down were: “Are you okay?”

    Rock was presenting the award for Best Documentary Feature when he joked about Pinkett Smith starring in a sequel to “G.I. Jane,” a 1997 film in which Demi Moore’s character shaves her head and joins the Navy Seals. Pinkett Smith first publicly spoke about her alopecia in 2018.

    The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ultimately banned Smith from attending the Oscars for 10 years. Academy president David Rubin and CEO Dawn Hudson argued in a statement that “the safety of our performers and guests” is imperative.

    Jada Pinkett Smith and Will Smith had front-row seats at the 2022 Oscars when host Chris Rock joked about Pinkett Smith’s shaved head.

    Chris Pizzello/Associated Press

    In an unexpected development, Pinkett Smith told Hoda Kotb in an upcoming “Today” interview that she and Smith have been separated since 2016. Pinkett Smith, who is currently promoting her new book “Worthy,” likened it to a “divorce.”

    “I think by the time we got to 2016, we were just exhausted with trying,” she told Kotb. “I think we were both kind of just still stuck in our fantasy of what we thought the other person should be. I made a promise that there will never be a reason for us to get a divorce.”

    The mother of two also told People she became suicidal after starting to date Smith in 1995, and that she “completely abandoned” her mental health during those early years. Pinkett Smith said she was “intoxicated” by Smith and felt like she was “cured,” because Smith “became the drug.”

    Pinkett Smith has espoused the benefits of psychedelics in her mental health journey, and she did so again in her interview with People. Rock, meanwhile, used his Oscars experience as fodder for a Netflix special released earlier this year.

    “She hurt him way more than she hurt me,” Rock said in the special, referring to Pinkett Smith and Smith. “Everybody in the world called him a bitch. I tried to call the motherfucker, I tried to call that man and give him my condolences … Everybody called him a bitch and who’s he hit? Me.”

    Pinkett Smith’s “Today” interview airs Friday on NBC. Read the full interview with Pinkett Smith in People.

    If you or someone you know needs help, call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org for mental health support. Additionally, you can find local mental health and crisis resources at dontcallthepolice.com. Outside of the U.S., please visit the International Association for Suicide Prevention.

    Source link

  • Jada Pinkett Smith reveals she and Will Smith have been separated since 2016 | CNN

    Jada Pinkett Smith reveals she and Will Smith have been separated since 2016 | CNN



    CNN
     — 

    Jada Pinkett Smith has revealed that she and husband Will Smith have been living “completely separate lives” since 2016.

    In a clip from her forthcoming NBC News primetime special with Hoda Kotb, Pinkett Smith said the couple had not previously gone public with their separation because they were not “ready yet.”

    They were “still trying to figure out between the two of us, how to be in partnership,” she said.

    “How do we present that to people?” she told Kotb. “We hadn’t figured that out.”

    Pinkett Smith, 52, and Smith, 55, have been married since 1997. Pinkett Smith said they are not legally divorced.

    Their marriage has come under scrutiny during the period she says they have been apart.

    In July 2020, singer August Alsina revealed that he had been romantically involved with Pinkett Smith, something she confirmed during an episode with her husband on “Red Table Talk.”

    “I got into an entanglement with August,” Pinkett Smith said at the time, explaining then that the superstar couple “were going through a very difficult time” when it occurred.

    Then there was the Oscars slap.

    During the 2022 Academy Awards, Smith stormed the stage and slapped presenter Chris Rock after he made a joke about Pinkett Smith being bald. She suffers from alopecia, which has caused her hair loss.

    In a new interview with People, Pinkett Smith opened up about the incident, which she said, like many other people, she initially thought was a comedic bit between the two men.

    “I thought, ‘This is a skit.’ I was like, ‘There’s no way that Will hit him,’” she recalled. “It wasn’t until Will started to walk back to his chair that I even realized it wasn’t a skit.”

    She told the publication that as soon as they were alone she asked Smith, “Are you okay?”

    Pinkett Smith told Kotb during their interview that the marriage fractured because of “a lot of things.”

    “I think by the time we got to 2016, we we both just exhausted with trying,” Pinkett Smith said. “I think we were both kind of still stuck in our fantasy of what we thought the other person should be.”

    She said she “made a promise” that there would never be a reason for her and Smith to divorce “and I just haven’t been able to break that promise,” she said.

    Pinkett Smith reveals more about her marriage, career and early life in her forthcoming memoir, “Worthy.” The book releases Oct. 17.

    Source link

  • ‘Girls Trip 2’ Reuniting Full Cast For Adventure In Ghana

    ‘Girls Trip 2’ Reuniting Full Cast For Adventure In Ghana

    By Mekishana Pierre‍, ETOnline.com.
    Published:

    It looks like the highly anticipated “Girls Trip” sequel is heading to Ghana!

    Writer-director-producer Tracy Oliver, who co-wrote the 2017 hit with filmmaker and producer Will Packer, confirmed the news during an interview with Variety at Sundance.

    Joking that Packer “might kill me,” Oliver revealed that the sequel film would follow the stars — including Regina Hall, Queen Latifah, Jada Pinkett Smith and Tiffany Haddish — in Ghana as they potentially attend the annual Afrochella festival, Ghana’s annual cultural and music event whose name borrows from Coachella.


    READ MORE:
    Will Packer Teases What to Expect From ‘Girls Trip 2’ (Exclusive)

    ET has learned that while the sequel is in development, it is not greenlit and there isn’t a script.

    Packer previously confirmed the film’s follow-up with ET last June, saying, “it’s gonna be better than the first one.”

    “I can’t tell you where we’re gonna go yet, but we were in New Orleans the first time and we’re not going back to New Orleans,” he shared at the time. “We’re going somewhere bigger and better. When we announce it, you’ll remember I said that to you.”

    The producer hinted that the new location might be somewhere in Africa, which isn’t surprising since Packer shot his film “Beast”, starring Idris Elba, in South Africa.


    READ MORE:
    Queen Latifah Has Some Ideas for Possible ‘Girls Trip 2’ Filming Locations (Exclusive)

    The film’s stars are sure to love the new location, as Queen Latifah told ET that same month that she was hoping the film would “go where it’s warm.”

    “I mean, I wanna go to, like, Brazil… or I’m hearing South Africa,” she shared. “I mean, I’m down to go where it’s warm, and where there’s a beach! But with the girls, it doesn’t matter. I know it’s gonna be fun.”

    Back in June 2019, Hall told ET that she and the rest of the cast want to ensure that the new film isn’t just a retread.


    READ MORE:
    Jada Pinkett Smith and the ‘Girls Trip’ Cast Talk Stripping, Dating and Celeb Crushes on ‘Red Table Talk’

    “I think it’s about the timing and also everyone wants to make sure that the story’s worthy of a sequel,” she said. “We don’t want y’all talking about us ’cause then y’all will be like, ‘Why’d they do a second one? They should have just left it alone.’”

    “I know that they are trying really hard to come up with the perfect idea,” Hall also shared.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkgyCyqI3D4

    More From ET: 

    Sarah Michelle Gellar Teases ‘Nothing Is What It Seems’ in Paramount Plus’ ‘Wolf Pack’ (Exclusive)

    Watch the ‘Basketball Wives’ Season 10 Midseason Promo

    Captain Lee Rosbach Makes His ‘Below Deck’ Return in Midseason Teaser

    Melissa Romualdi

    Source link

  • Top TV ’22: The Slap, congressional docudrama and royal loss

    Top TV ’22: The Slap, congressional docudrama and royal loss

    NEW YORK (AP) — In a year marked by unexpected winners and losers, television was keeping tabs.

    A Hollywood star tarnished his image and that of the Oscars. A battered country stood up to an invader, again and again. The Jan. 6 insurrection became an unexpectedly watchable TV docudrama. A monarch was celebrated and mourned. Television entertainment had its usual highs and lows.

    Here are some of 2022′s defining TV moments from the perspective of The Associated Press’ television and media writers.

    THE SLAP

    The Oscars are Hollywood’s biggest platform and Will Smith, one of its biggest stars, was expected to reign with a best-actor award for the tennis dad biopic “King Richard.” But Smith lost while winning. Angered by a joke that presenter Chris Rock made at the expense of wife Jada Pinkett Smith, he strode onstage and slapped Rock, hard, drawing gasps from the TV and theater audience. A tearful Smith made excuses during his acceptance speech that March night and issued subsequent apologies. The film academy penalized him, but the Oscar prospects of his upcoming movie, “Emancipation,” are being debated.

    HUTCHINSON’S TESTIMONY

    Frankly, expectations were low when the House committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol insurrection scheduled public hearings. Congressional hearings tend to produce more heat than light, as preening politicians compete for sound bites to impress their supporters. But with only two Republicans on the committee — both of them appalled by what happened at the Capitol — the committee put on sharp, tightly-focused presentations, aided by a former ABC News producer. All made for compelling viewing, but none more than the live testimony of former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson, who calmly described what was happening in the Trump administration

    DEPP vs HEARD

    Last year, Britney Spears’ bid to end her conservatorship was the mesmerizing celebrity legal battle. This year, the courtroom crossfire between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard — all playing out on TV — was the main attraction. Their defamation suits put the two actors in the kind of harsh, unflattering light barred from any Hollywood set. As the exes traded allegations of assault and substance abuse, the trial became increasingly sad, seamy and inescapable. The jury’s June verdict largely favored Depp. Heard might not be the only loser, experts warned: the spectacle and its outcome could have a chilling effect on women who might press abuse claims.

    UKRAINE BRAVERY

    The images of war are always awful, and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine produced many of them. Yet the many moments of bravery shown by the Ukrainian people and their leader, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, changed the perception of a conflict many feared would be an ugly rout, and rallied the world to their side. Pick your moments — a woman who offered sunflower seeds to a Russian soldier so they can sprout from his pants pocket where his body falls, the defiantly profane response from Ukrainians stationed on a remote island when Russians told them to surrender, Zelenskyy’s media-savvy campaign for support. It was the stuff of heroes.

    KENOBI-VADER REMATCH

    Those who find Disney’s ever-expanding “Star Wars” universe is leaving them cold may have warmed up after the season finale of “Obi-Wan Kenobi.” The epic, roughly four-minute lightsaber battle between Obi-Wan (Ewan McGregor) and former apprentice Anakin Skywalker aka Darth Vadar (Hayden Christensen) was a fierce back-and-forth with, of course, good and evil hanging in the balance. But it was the unmasking of Vadar that sent Disney+ viewers into a stratospheric tizzy, his scarred face and psyche revealing a man beyond redemption.

    YELLOWSTONE

    When 12.1 million people tuned in on Nov. 13 to watch the season premiere of Kevin Costner’s “Yellowstone” on the otherwise invisible Paramount and some sister cable networks, it was the most-watched scripted show of the new television season. The Western is the definition of a broadly popular show, yet wasn’t on a broadcast network, which were conceived on the idea of reaching as many people as possible. You could call that a failure of imagination that typifies the decline of the networks, but the truth was they never really had a shot at “Yellowstone,” which was initially developed at HBO but went nowhere there. For every television success, there are people kicking themselves because they didn’t see it coming.

    REAL-LIFE CROWN

    Queen Elizabeth wasn’t America’s monarch, but her death in September at age 96 hit home and drew blanket coverage in the former British colony. Maybe it was “The Crown,” maybe it was her conspiratorial smile when she shared tea and secrets with Paddington Bear. Her dedication to service and a stately funeral procession with echoes of history certainly merited attention. But the catnip for TV came when brothers William and Harry and wives Kate and Meghan, any tensions publicly masked, joined to greet mourners. Princess Anne provided a memorable grace note: A deep curtsy as her mother’s coffin was carried by her.

    THE WALKING DEAD

    When “The Walking Dead” aired its final episode on Nov. 20, it was the end of an era for the quintessential punch-above-your-weight AMC cable network. How much that was the case became clear less than two weeks later, when company chairman James Dolan sent a memo to staff saying CEO Christina Spade was out after three months and large-scale layoffs were coming. AMC is hardly the only media company, or cable network, that is hurting. “We are primarily a content company and the mechanisms for the monetization of content are in disarray,” Dolan said. Shed a tear for the boutique network that gave us “Mad Men,” “Breaking Bad” and “Better Call Saul,” and cable networks in general.

    ELECTION CALM

    With memories of the 2020 election chaos fresh, news organizations prepared for a midterm election night where democracy itself could be in peril. Only… it wasn’t. Certainly, there were close elections and control of Congress wasn’t clear for several days. While there were a few exceptions, the election ran smoothly and most candidates accepted the results. And the story became those results: an unexpectedly strong showing for Democrats that defied history and expectations.

    Source link

  • Will Smith’s ‘Emancipation’ role taught him lesson post-slap

    Will Smith’s ‘Emancipation’ role taught him lesson post-slap

    LOS ANGELES — While filming “Emancipation,” Will Smith routinely drew inspiration from the words “sacred motivation” that were written on the front page of a script. But the Oscar winner heavily leaned on the phrase even more in recent months, as he tried to overcome the backlash to his Oscars slap and banishment from the ceremony.

    “It’s like when you can locate and center yourself in your divine purpose, you can withstand anything and everything,” Smith said of the phrase that greeted him when he took on the lead role in Antoine Fuqua’s “Emancipation,” which is currently in theaters and will be available to stream Friday on Apple TV+. “Sacred motivation” became like a theme for him and his castmates, Smith said.

    The film, completed months before Smith strode onto the Oscars stage and slapped presenter Chris Rock for a joke about Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett-Smith, was a grueling shoot. Inspired by an iconic 1863 photo of the scarred back of “Whipped Peter,” Smith portrays the character Peter — a man who attempts to escape slavery while he uses his wits to dodge slave hunters and brave alligator-infested Louisiana swamps in his quest for freedom.

    The photos of “Whipped Peter” were taken during a Union Army medical examination that first appeared in Harper’s Weekly. An image known as “The Scourged Back” showed countless mutilated whip marks on Peter’s bare back that were delivered by his enslavers. The photo contributed to the growing opposition to slavery.

    Smith said his character taught him a lesson in overcoming adversity after he faced condemnation, memes and a 10-year Oscars attendance ban. The “slap” seemingly overshadowed his own biggest career milestone, which came later in the night: winning his first-ever Academy Award, best actor for “King Richard.”

    The backlash rocked Smith, but Peter ultimately helped steer him back on track too.

    “Peter has absolutely helped me through these last few months, just reestablishing within myself in what my purpose is in this world,” Smith said in a recent interview, one of his first since the Oscars. He has repeatedly apologized for his behavior after accepting his ban.

    Normally, “Emancipation” might earn Smith some serious Oscars buzz. He’s still eligible for nominations and awards, but can’t personally accept them. Given backlash to “The Slap,” Smith mainly hopes that audiences will still watch Fuqua’s film.

    “This movie was so grueling. Literally across the board, everybody had to devote a hefty amount of suffering to what you see on that screen,” Smith said. “So my greatest wish, and I guess I can talk about my greatest fear, is that my team would be penalized for my actions. I’m out with this film that I love and strictly want my people to get their flowers.”

    Fuqua knows Smith made a mistake, but he hopes audiences can move past it. The director believes the story about Peter’s search for freedom, fighting to get back to his family and being a catalyst in highlighting the horrific side of slavery in “Emancipation” is much bigger than “The Slap.”

    “Peter’s story is so inspiring, especially as a Black man. We go through a lot of things daily, just being Black,” said Fuqua, known for directing “Training Day,” “Equalizer” films and “The Magnificent Seven.” He said his new film tackles how certain elements of racism in America that still occur today.

    “For me, it’s a mistake,” Fuqua said of Smith striking Rock on live television. “Hopefully everybody can get back on track and God bless everyone. But we’re talking about 400 years of brutality.”

    Bingwa, who plays Peter’s wife Dodienne, credits Smith’s ability to endure the adversity while pushing forward through it.

    “It’s in line with the film. I imagine it’s been a tough period,” said Bingwa, who hopes audiences can learn more about Peter’s determination to return home after making a promise. “I don’t want to speak on Will’s behalf, but he’s been an inspiration to so many for so long. I love seeing him with his head held high. Everyone can learn from his experience. I just love the way you took it on the chin, you’re wearing it and walking forward. We’re all human.”

    While promoting the film, Smith held private screenings for several influential figures including Rihanna, Tyler Perry, Dave Chappelle, LeBron James and his Los Angeles Lakers teammates along with students at Morehouse College. He garnered a great amount of support from those individuals, giving him somewhat a sigh of relief.

    Each time Smith harkened back to Peter’s story, the more he became empowered to share his character’s journey.

    “I feel very comfortable in this current situation with this project, with these people,” he said. “I feel cleansed. I feel purified and transformed in many ways. And as one of the lessons from Peter is, ‘Suffering leads to salvation.’ So I am comfortable taking my medicine.”

    Source link

  • Jada Pinkett Smith has deal for ‘no holds barred’ memoir

    Jada Pinkett Smith has deal for ‘no holds barred’ memoir

    NEW YORK (AP) — Jada Pinkett Smith has a lifetime of thoughts she’d like to set down.

    The actor, singer, entrepreneur and co-host of the Facebook Watch show “Red Table Talk” has a deal for what Dey Street Books is calling an “honest and gripping memoir” that will cover her “complicated marriage to Will Smith,” among other topics. The book is currently untitled and scheduled for next fall.

    “Jada Pinkett Smith chronicles lessons learned in the course of a difficult but riveting journey — a rollercoaster ride from the depths of suicidal depression to the heights of personal rediscovery and the celebration of authentic feminine power,” read Thursday’s announcement by Dey Street, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.

    According to the announcement, Pinkett Smith will recount her “unconventional upbringing in Baltimore,” her friendship with late rapper Tupac Shakur, her love story with Smith and her experiences with motherhood.

    “In crisis at age 40, Jada recounts the excruciating choices she was forced to make to redefine her life in every way,” the publisher said.

    Pinkett Smith, 51, is known for such films as “Collateral” and “The Matrix Reloaded,” as well as being vocal about her battles with depression and the hair-loss disorder alopecia areata, the source of Chris Rock’s infamous joke at this year’s Academy Awards ceremony.

    When the comedian likened her shaved head to Demi Moore’s look in “G.I. Jane,” Will Smith — who published his own bestselling memoir last year — stunned the world by striding from his front-row seat to the stage and slapping Rock.

    Pinkett Smith addressed the slap two months later, on an episode of “Red Table Talk,” saying the incident had prompted thousands to reach out to her with their own experiences with alopecia areata. She also said she hoped “these two intelligent, capable men have an opportunity to heal, talk this out, and reconcile.”

    Source link