Jada Pinkett Smith says her family is 'healing' in new episode of 'Red Table Talk'

By Jamia Pugh & Angeline Jane Bernabe

Jada Pinkett Smith says she and her family are “healing.”

Nearly a month after her husband, Will Smith, slapped Chris Rock at the 94th Academy Awards, Pinkett Smith seemingly addressed the incident on her Emmy-winning Facebook Watch show, “Red Table Talk.”

With the release of the first episode of its fifth season, which features Grammy nominee Janelle Monáe, the show shared a message from Pinkett Smith, who told viewers in an on-screen text that her family has been focusing on “deep healing.”

“Considering all that has happened in the last few weeks, the Smith family has been focusing on deep healing,” Pinkett Smith wrote. “Some of the discoveries around our healing will be shared at the table when the time calls.”

“Until then… the table will continue offering itself to powerful, inspiring and healing testimonies like that of our incredibly impressive first guest,” she continued in the message. “Thanks for joining us, Jada.”

Karwai Tang/Getty Images

Jada Pinkett Smith attends the 2022 Vanity Fair Oscar Party Hosted By Radhika Jones at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, March 27, 2022 in Beverly Hills, Calif.

According to a report by Variety, it’s unknown why the episode debuted late, at 12 p.m. PT on Wednesday, instead of it’s usual time of 9 a.m. PT. It’s also unclear if Monáe’s conversation wiith the ladies of the Red Table -- Pinkett Smith, Adrienne Banfield Norris and Willow Smith -- was filmed prior to the Academy Awards, as some of the episodes were.

Pinkett Smith was in the spotlight following the infamous Oscars slap, as the incident stemmed from a joke comedian Rock said about Pinkett Smith starring in a nonexistent sequel to “G.I. Jane,” a 1997 movie starring Demi Moore, who shaved her head for the role, as the first woman to enter Navy SEAL training. Rock presumably made the joke because of Pinkett Smith’s shaved head.

Brian Snyder/Reuters

Will Smith hits Chris Rock as Rock spoke on stage during the 94th Academy Awards in Hollywood, Calif., March 27, 2022.

Since she was diagnosed with alopecia, the actress has been candid about here journey with the autoimmune disorder, which attacks hair follicles. In December, she shared an Instagram post about her struggle with hair loss.

Since the Oscars incident, Smith resigned his Academy membership on April 1, and the Academy also banned the actor from any academy event or program, including the Oscars for 10 years.