As the controversy surrounding Will Smith at the 2022 Oscars continues, Jada Pinkett Smith’s quotes about her hair loss from less than one week before the 94th Academy Awards are resurfacing.
The 50-year-old Girls Trip star took to TikTok days before she hit the red carpet with her 53-year-old husband on Sunday, March 27.
“Being a Black woman and dealing with hair in Hollywood, in the era I came up in, having your hair look as European as possible was always the thing, and that was really challenging, you know, because I liked my hair out wild and curly,” Pinkett Smith began on Wednesday, March 23. “But nobody wanted that, so I always had to do my hair in ways that didn’t feel natural to me because I’m trying to play the game.”
The Red Table Talk host, who first publicly revealed she has alopecia in 2018, continued in the clip: “So if I’m doing a cover, everybody’s [like], ‘No, we want your hair straight and flowy,’ when it’s like, ‘All right, cool, but that’s not really what my hair likes to do.’” So I had to learn to get the courage to go, ‘Nah, I’m not doing that.’ Which is why I feel the freedom today – I don’t give two craps what people think of this bald head of mine. Because guess what? I love it.”
In the caption, Pinkett Smith added, “✨Crown Act✨ Be proud of your crown❣️ #iamnotmyhair #hairjourney.”
Oscar viewers watched Smith storm the stage to slap Chris Rock during Sunday’s broadcast after the comedian, 57, joked about Pinkett Smith starring in G.I. Jane 2. Not long after the confrontation — and the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air alum yelling for Rock to “Keep my wife’s name out your f—king mouth!” — Smith won the lead actor Oscar for King Richard.
While Smith broke down during his acceptance speech, he didn’t directly address Rock. He later spoke out about the drama via Instagram, noting that “violence in all of its forms is poisonous and destructive” on Monday, March 28.
“My behavior at last night’s Academy Awards was unacceptable and inexcusable,” the Will author wrote. “Jokes at my expense are a part of the job, but a joke about Jada’s medical condition was too much for me to bear and I reacted emotionally. I would like to publicly apologize to you, Chris. I was out of line and I was wrong. I am embarrassed and my actions were not indicative of the man I want to be. There is no place for violence in a world of love and kindness. I would also like to apologize to The Academy, the producers of the show, all the attendees and everyone watching around the world. I would like to apologize to the Williams Family and my King Richard Family.”
He concluded: “I deeply regret that my behavior has stained what has been an otherwise gorgeous journey for all of us. I am a work in progress.”
