Jada Pinkett Smith is breaking her silence.
For the first time since Will Smith slapped Chris Rock on stage at the 2022 Oscars, the Set It Off actress seemed to address the incident by sharing an inspirational quote on Tuesday.
“This is a season for healing. And I’m here for it,” read the message, which was posted on Instagram.
During Sunday’s Academy Awards, Rock joked about Pinkett’s bald head, comparing her look to Demi Moore’s character in the 1997 film G.I. Jane. Pinkett has been open about her struggles with alopecia, which causes hair loss.
The “Red Table Talk” host was seen rolling her eyes, seemingly unamused by the joke. Her husband appeared to laugh at first before rushing on stage and smacking Rock in the face.
“Keep my wife’s name out of your fu**ing mouth,” Smith told the stunned comedian.
On Monday afternoon, the King Richard star issued a public apology to Rock. “Violence in all of its forms is poisonous and destructive. My behavior at last night’s Academy Awards was unacceptable and inexcusable,” Smith wrote in a statement. “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.”
He continued, “I would like to publicly apologize to you, Chris. I was out of line and I was wrong. I am embarrassed and my actions were not indicative of the man I want to be. There is no place for violence in a world of love and kindness.”
Just days days before the Oscars, Pinkett spoke about the pressure to conform to Hollywood hair standards.
“Being a Black woman and dealing with hair in Hollywood, especially in the era that I came up in, having your hair look as European as possible was always the thing, and that was really challenging because I liked my hair out wild and curly, but nobody wanted that,” she said in a TikTok video.
However, she has learned to embrace her look. “I feel the freedom today. I don’t give two craps what people feel about this bald head of mine. Because guess what? I love it.”
Even Smith’s mother admits that she was shocked by what transpired. “He is a very even, people person,” Carolyn Smith told Philadelphia’s 6abc Action News. “That’s the first time I’ve ever seen him go off. First time in his lifetime.”
However, she was proud to see her son win his first Oscar for Best Actor. “I know how he works, how hard he works,” she added. “I’ve been waiting and waiting and waiting. When I heard the name, I was just, ‘Yes!’”
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