Jada Pinkett Smith has opened up about an interesting past event where comedian Chris Rock, under the impression that she was available, extended an invitation for a date. The 52-year-old actress, who recently revealed a secret seven-year separation from husband Will Smith, shared this incident from a summer where divorce rumors about the couple were rampant.
In a conversation with People magazine, Pinkett Smith explained, “Every summer it seemed there were reports stating that Will and I were headed for divorce. During one particular summer, Chris thought the rumors were true. He called me and said, ‘I’d love to take you out’. I asked him to clarify, and he said, ‘Well, aren’t you and Will getting a divorce?’ I assured him that those were mere rumors. He was taken aback and apologized profusely.”
While the timeframe of this interaction wasn’t specified, Pinkett Smith did mention that she hasn’t spoken to the 58-year-old comedian since the contentious 2022 Oscars. During that event, Will Smith, 55, slapped Rock on stage following a joke about Pinkett Smith’s shaved head, sparking controversy in light of her alopecia.
Pinkett Smith shared her wishes for resolution and peace regarding the misunderstanding with Rock, saying, “I just hope that all the misunderstanding around this can be cleared up and that there can be peace.”
Although refusing to “pass judgment” on Rock’s art, Pinkett Smith acknowledged that his jokes have hurt her feelings multiple times. However, she conceded, “Being in the spotlight, it comes with the territory.”
She also hinted at a previous “misunderstanding” dating back to the 2016 Oscars, which Rock hosted and Pinkett Smith publicly boycotted due to the lack of diversity among nominees in key acting categories. They both issued apologies then, and she confirmed that Rock attempted to apologize immediately following the 2022 Oscars incident as well.
Recalling the moment, she said, “Chris came down to the end of the stage and tried to apologize to me. He said, ‘I didn’t mean you any harm.’ I replied, ‘I can’t talk about this now, Chris. This is some old s***.’” She suggested that there are deeper issues from the late ‘80s between Rock and Will Smith, adding, “I’ve got to leave that to Will and Chris to talk about, but they got their stuff for sure.”
In the backdrop of this revelation, Pinkett Smith navigates through the complex emotions and memories, shedding light on moments that blend personal feelings and public scrutiny.
