Jada Pinkett Smith acknowledged the controversy surrounding the Oscars on Red Table Talk’s first episode since her husband Will Smith shocked Hollywood by slapping Chris Rock, but said the incident will be discussed at a later date.
“Considering all that has happened in the last few weeks, the Smith family has been focusing on deep healing. Some of those discoveries around our healing will be shared at the table when the time calls,” she said in a statement at the start of Wednesday’s Facebook Watch show.
“Until then … the table will continue offering itself to powerful, inspiring and healing testimonies like that of our incredibly impressive first guests.”
The show returned Wednesday for its fifth season premiere with Pinkett Smith joined around the iconic red table by daughter Willow Smith, mother Adrienne Banfield-Norris and their first guest, actress and singer Janelle Monáe.
The teaser for the new season did not include any foreshadowing of comment on the Oscars scandal.
The stunning on-stage assault at the Dolby Theater during the March 27 awards unfolded after Rock made a joke about Pinkett Smith, saying he was looking forward to seeing her in “G. I. Jane 2.”
In 2018, Pinkett Smith revealed that she had been diagnosed with alopecia, a condition that causes hair loss. The film “G.I. Jane” stars Demi Moore as a woman who shaves her head during military service.
Rock declined to press charges after the incident, the Los Angeles Police Department has said.
A tumultuous few weeks followed after the ceremony, where Smith won the best actor award for his role in “King Richard.”
Smith apologized to Rock in a statement the next day, saying he was “out of line” and “embarrassed.”
“Jokes at my expense are a part of the job, but a joke about Jada’s medical condition was too much for me to bear and I reacted emotionally,” Smith added.
He subsequently resigned from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and was banned from attending the Academy Awards for 10 years.
Smith, at the time, said: “I accept and respect the Academy’s decision.”
Pinkett Smith appeared to break her silence two days after the slap on Instagram writing: “This is a season for healing and I’m here for it.”
Minyvonne Burke contributed.
