Jada Pinkett Smith is being accused of threatening the life and well-being of her husband’s former close friend for allegedly revealing information about her personal life, as shown in a $3 million lawsuit.
What is Jada Pinkett Smith being accused of?
The plaintiff, Bilaal Salaam, filed the lawsuit on Nov. 7 and referred to himself as Will Smith’s “best friend for nearly 40 years,” stating that he “worked closely” with the actor on several professional and personal projects and was featured in photos Smith used in his self-titled memoir, according to court documents obtained by Page Six and People.
Salaam claimed that Pinkett Smith and several members of her team approached him at Smith’s private birthday celebration on Sept. 25, 2021, held at the Regency Calabasas Commons in Calabasas, California.
“While in the lobby, Jada Pinkett Smith approached Plaintiff with approximately seven members of her entourage, became verbally aggressive, and threatened Plaintiff by stating that if he continued ‘telling her personal business,’ he would ‘end up missing or catch a bullet,’ and demanded he sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) ‘or else,’” the lawsuit obtained by Page Six states.
Salaam also claimed that after the alleged incident, a member of Pinkett Smith’s team followed him to his car and continued to threaten him verbally, according to the suit.
Salaam alleged he received threats after turning down a request to help Will Smith
In late March 2002, Salaam said he turned down a request from a mutual friend to help with “crisis management” involving Smith, who notoriously slapped actor and comedian Chris Rock during the 94th Academy Awards in March 2022 for making jokes about Pinkett Smith’s hair. The Baltimore native has battled alopecia over the years and has since been transparent about her hair journey, according to Blavity.
“Plaintiff refused to perform tasks he believed were illegal, unethical, or morally compromising, stating his conscience would not allow him to be involved in any cover-up or deceptive PR campaign,” Salaam’s suit claims, according to People.
Salaam also viewed the incident as a “retaliatory campaign” launched by members of Smith and Pinkett Smith’s circle after he refused their requests, per the outlet. He claimed threats continued after they learned he was writing a “whistleblower memoir” about the Hollywood couple’s lives. Salaam also appeared in a now viral interview, in which he alleged the threats had gotten worse.
Salaam’s claims further explained
In a 2023 interview with Unwine With Tasha K, Salaam alleged he once walked in on Smith and actor Duane Martin engaged in a sexual act. His lawsuit claims that instead of pursuing legal action, which Pinkett Smith initially mentioned in a TMZ statement, she publicly dismissed his allegations in multiple interviews and fueled a “smear campaign” against him.
At the time, Pinkett Smith called Salaam’s claims “ridiculous” and accused him of trying to “shake down” the couple, per People. In the suit, Salaam responded to her remarks and how they affected his image.
“Defendant never filed a lawsuit,” Salaam alleged. “The statement was false, reckless, and made with malicious intent to manipulate public opinion and damage Plaintiff’s character.”
Salaam is seeking $3 million in financial damages.
He claims that he “suffered damages like financial loss, reputational harm, emotional drama, physical health issues and “the complete derailment of his personal life and career.”