Jada Pinkett Smith confidently spoke about her battle with alopecia ahead of the Oscars, saying she loved her bald head and didn’t care about public opinion, but has yet to comment on her husband slapping Chris Rock.
Will Smith slapped Rock in the face during Sunday’s ceremony after the comedian made a joke about Pinkett Smith’s buzzed haircut, which she apparently didn’t appreciate, judging by her carefree expression.
The star’s reaction seemed to contradict the body-positive talk she was doing on her social media accounts less than a week before the Oscars.
“Today I feel free – I don’t give a shit what people think of my bald head. Because you know what? I love it,” Pinkett Smith said in a TikTok addressing the beauty pressures black women face in Hollywood.
“I’ve always had to style my hair in a way that didn’t feel natural to me because I’m trying to play the game,” said the Matrix: Resurrections actress. “So I had to learn to have the courage to say, ‘Nah, I’m not doing that. “
Smith, who apologized Monday for the incident, initially attributed the attack to his calling in life to “love people and protect people.”
The Smiths’ son Jaden Smith jumped into his father’s defense after the awards ceremony, while his mother and sister Willow Smith remained silent and went on with their evening as if nothing had happened.
Jada Pinkett Smith confidently spoke about her battle with alopecia less than a week before the Oscars, saying how she loved her baldness and didn’t “give a damn about what people think about it.”
However, she has yet to comment on her husband Will Smith, who slapped comedian Chris Rock onstage during Sunday night’s Oscars after he made a joke about her baldness
As can be seen from her carefree expression, Pinkett Smith didn’t appreciate the joke
“As a black woman and with hair to do with Hollywood, growing up, it was always a trend to have your hair look as European as possible,” Pinkett Smith explained in last week’s video.
“It was really challenging, you know, because I liked my wild and curly hair.”
However, the star claims “nobody wanted that” and she’s often styled her hair in unnatural ways.
“Well, if I do a cover, it’s everyone’s [like]”No, we want your hair straight and flowy,” when it says, “Okay, cool, but that’s not really what my hair likes to do,” she explained.
The actress encouraged others to “be proud of their crown” and embrace their looks, just as she has with her bald head, which she attributes to alopecia, an autoimmune condition that can cause hair loss and balding.
“I feel freedom today,” Pinkett Smith said on TikTok, explaining how as a black woman in Hollywood, she was constantly encouraged to “make her hair look as European as possible.”
In December 2021, she shared how she’s been struggling with alopecia and encouraged her Instagram followers to ask questions
Jaden Smith (second from right) rushed to defend his father after the awards ceremony, but his sister Willow (second from left) and mother (left) have not commented. The Smith family is pictured at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party after the awards ceremony on Sunday
Pinkett Smith has been very open online about her “hair loss struggles,” and first described the diagnosis during a 2018 episode of her show Red Table Talk.
“It was terrifying when it started,” the Girls Trip star said at the time.
“One day I was in the shower with just a handful of hair in my hands and I was like, ‘Oh my god, am I going bald?’ “It was one of those times in my life where I was literally shaking with fear. That’s why I cut my hair and keep cutting it.”
However, in December 2021, she offered a different narrative, saying in an Instagram video: “Now I can only laugh at this point. You all know I was struggling with alopecia and suddenly one day, look at this line right here. Look at this.’
“So it just kind of surfaced and it’s getting a little harder for me to hide it. So I figured I’d just share it so you don’t ask questions,” she added.
In various other Instagram posts, she welcomed the move to face the bald head.
“Willow got me going because it was time to let go BUT… my 50s are divinely lit with this shed,” Pinkett Smith posted in July 2021 alongside a photo with her daughter.
In September, the mother-of-two shared a video of a hairstylist shaving her head and encouraged her viewers to tune in to her livestream and support three “BRAVIVE women who are deciding to take a BOLD hair journey and go BEAUTIFUL bald! ”
The actress has also released several posts encouraging her followers to love themselves.
“Willow got me going because it was time to let go BUT… my 50s are divinely lit with this shed,” Pinkett Smith posted in July 2021 alongside a photo with her daughter
In September, the mother-of-two shared a video of a hairstylist shaving her head and encouraged her viewers to tune in to her livestream and support three “BRAVIVE women who are deciding to take a BOLD hair journey and go BEAUTIFUL bald! “
The actress has also released several posts encouraging her followers to love themselves. She also apparently applauded her move to face the baldness
The slap, which was heard around the world, came after Rock, who presented the award for best documentary, joked, “Jada, I love you. GI Jane 2, can’t wait to see you.’
Smith first walked onto the stage from his front row seat and slapped Rock with an open right hand.
The comedian staggered and exclaimed, “Wow Will Smith just blew me away.”
Will, clearly emotional, walked back to his seat in the audience and yelled, “Keep my wife’s name out of your damn mouth.”
“Wow, dude, that was a GI Jane joke,” Rock said, referring to the 1997 film starring Demi Moore, who shaved her head to play Jordan O’Neil.
‘Keep my wife’s name out of your damn mouth!’ Will answered again.
On Monday, the actor wrote in an Instagram post that he was “embarrassed” by his actions, shocking attendees, producers and viewers at the ceremony.
“Violence in all its forms is poisonous and destructive,” he wrote.
“My behavior at the Oscars last night was unacceptable and inexcusable. Jokes at my expense are part of the job, but a joke about Jada’s health was too much for me and I reacted emotionally.
“I want to apologize to you publicly, Chris. I was out of line and I was wrong. I’m embarrassed and my actions were no indication of the man I want to be. In a world of love and kindness there is no place for violence.’
Smith then apologized to the show’s organizers and producers.
Rock did not respond to Smith’s apology or comment on Sunday night’s incident.
Smith celebrates his Oscar win Sunday night in a ceremony overshadowed by his actions
On Monday, Smith wrote in an Instagram post that he was “embarrassed” by his actions, shocking those attending the ceremony, producers and viewers
Smith was pictured amidst the crowd at the Vanity Fair party, dancing and cheering with fellow stars
Smith’s apology came as the Academy on Monday condemned Smith’s actions and said it had launched a formal review of the incident that cast a shadow over the film’s honours.
“The Academy condemns the actions of Mr. Smith at last night’s show,” the group wrote in a statement. “We have officially begun a formal review of the incident and will consider further actions and consequences consistent with our statutes, standards of conduct and California law.”
Despite Smith’s apology, Pinkett Smith has not commented on the incident.
Their son Jaden was right in his dad’s corner on Sunday night and took to Twitter to voice his support.
“And this is how we do it!” Jaden, 23, tweeted after the ceremony, adding to a since-deleted post: “My dad’s speech made me cry.”
Willow Smith, 21, has not publicly commented on her father’s outburst but did post a picture of herself on Instagram.
Rapper Jaden Smith apparently applauded his father Will Smith after the actor punched comedian Chris Rock in the face during the Oscars
Unlike her brother, Willow Smith, 21, has not publicly commented on her father’s outburst
However, she has posted a series of photos to her Instagram page modeling a black and red jeweled outfit and is pretending nothing happened