Why Jada Pinkett Smith Initially Waited To Address Affair Accusations With Will Smith On Red Table Talk

Jada Pinkett Smith as Helen Thompson in Angel Has Fallen (2019)

Jada Pinkett Smith and Will Smith have always been candid about their marriage, and this only continued when the two have opened up about Pinkett Smith’s affair with singer August Alsina. In an emotional installment of Pinkett Smith’s Red Table Talk, the two aimed to set the record straight about the situation. Now, Pinkett Smith has revealed that she initially wanted to hold off on releasing that episode and explained her reasoning for wanting to do so.

In an Instagram post, Jada Pinkett Smith stated that she originally planned to hold the episode out of respect to the other issues society is currently facing. However, she eventually opted to release the episode because she was unable to find an appropriate moment to do it:

I brought myself to the table last week but decided to hold the episode out of respect for the far more important situations that have been happening around us. I’ve been trying to wait for the appropriate moment to drop it but considering the state of the world ... I don’t think that will be happening anytime soon. Here’s to the journey.

It's honestly easy to understand Jada Pinkett Smith’s thinking on the situation. When August Alsina initially went public with the reveal of his relationship with her, it flooded the news. And with so many other topics -- like the ongoing global health crisis – affecting the world, the actress didn’t want to draw the public’s attention away from where she believed it needed to be. But as she said, given the fact that not much has changed at the moment, it would’ve been difficult to find a “good” opportunity to release the episode.

And as Pinkett Smith predicted, the episode of Red Table Talk did indeed drum up its fair share of attention. However, the Hollywood power couple has emphasized that they had good reasons for filming the episode. Will Smith has made it clear that he wanted to clear up any misconceptions about August Alsina’s claims, sentiments that were also echoed by his wife.

The episode has had a massive effect on the internet since its release, with many using the term “entanglement,” which Pinkett Smith coined to describe her situation with August Alsina. While Alsina actually doesn’t have a problem with people using the term, Will Smith appears to be somewhat annoyed with fans using it over social media.

But all in all, Jada Pinkett and Will Smith seem to be moving on from the situation and continuing to work on their relationship. Pinkett Smith even views the affair as more of a learning experience as opposed to a transgression. Whether or not they choose the right time to discuss the affair is debatable, but one thing that can be said is that they used the time to speak openly and honestly about a delicate (and personal) situation.

Keep it here at CinemaBlend for more news from the world of movies and TV.

Erik Swann
Senior Content Producer

Erik Swann is a Senior Content Producer at CinemaBlend. He began working with the publication in 2020 when he was hired as Weekend Editor. Today, he continues to write, edit and handle social media responsibilities over the weekend. On weekdays, he also writes TV and movie-related news and helps out with editing and social media as needed. He graduated from the University of Maryland, where he received a degree in Broadcast Journalism. After shifting into multi-platform journalism, he started working as a freelance writer and editor before joining CB. Covers superheroes, sci-fi, comedy, and almost anything else in film and TV. He eats more pizza than the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.