I Was Seen as an ‘Adulteress: Jada Pinkett Smith Reflects On Will Smith’s Oscars Incident

In a candid interview with PEOPLE, Jada Pinkett Smith opened up about the aftermath of the incident involving her husband, Will Smith, at the 94th Academy Awards.

Jada, 52, expressed her thoughts on the incident and the subsequent rumors that suggested she was somehow responsible for Will’s actions when he confronted Chris Rock on the Oscars stage. Will, 55, who won the Oscar for Best Actor on the same night, took offense to a joke made by Rock about Jada’s bald head due to her alopecia.

Jada acknowledged the intensity of the situation, saying, “It was ridiculous in how far it went.” She reflected on the false narrative that circulated, suggesting she had cheated on Will, stating, “But I also understood at the same time. Considering the false narrative that I had cheated on Will or I was like some adulteress, Will had never done that before. “And I think that when we just look at human nature… when you look at the breadcrumbs, people need something to blame.”

Jada explained that, given the lack of insight into what transpired behind the scenes, she wasn’t entirely surprised to be blamed for the incident. She noted, “And so people not knowing what was happening behind the scenes, I surely wasn’t surprised that I got blame. But I understood that that’s just the human nature of it all.”

Will faced consequences for his actions, receiving a 10-year ban from attending Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences events, including the Oscars. Despite public speculation, the actor maintained that Jada played no role in his reaction to Chris’ joke. He issued a public apology, expressing remorse for the incident and the attention it brought to his family.

In an earlier video shared on social media, Will emphasized his independence in making the decision to confront Chris saying, “It’s like… I made a choice on my own from my own experiences, from my history with Chris. Jada had nothing to do with it. I’m sorry, babe. I want to say sorry to my kids and my family for the heat that I’ve brought on all of us.”

Jada also shared her initial reaction to the incident, revealing that she had assumed it was a scripted skit for the Oscars broadcast. She recalled, “I was like, ‘There’s no way that Will hit him.’ It wasn’t until Will started to walk back to his chair that I even realized it wasn’t a skit.”

Jada’s interview also touched on her concern for Will’s well-being, as she revealed that her first words to him after the Oscars broadcast ended were, “Are you okay?”