Jada Pinkett Smith Tells Her Side Of The Will Smith And Chris Rock Oscar Slap, And Her Reaction Mirrors Most Of Ours

They remain, to this day, one of Hollywood’s most fascinating couples. Immensely famous, and yet, mysterious to the general public. Jada Pinkett Smith and Will Smith have been together since the 1990s – they met on the set of Smith’s sitcom "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" in 1994 – and have endured more than their fair share of highs and lows. The most infamous has to be the moment when Will Smith defended Jada during the live Oscars telecast, slapping Chris Rock on stage after the comedian made a joke at Pinkett Smith’s defense. And now, in a new interview, Jada is opening up on the record about the evening, and her reaction.

Jada Pinkett Smith has a new book arriving in stores called “Worthy,” and as part of the promotional tour, she sat down with People magazine to trace a throughline through her career. In the interview, she touches on her Baltimore roots, the formation of her family, and a deep depression that led to suicidal thoughts. And yes, she addresses “The Slap,” telling People that she had no idea it was going to happen, or the full implications of it at the moment.