Jada Pinkett Smith Calls Lack of Protection The “Biggest Wound” In Her Relationships

The ‘Girls Trip’ star reflects on not feeling protected.

Veteran actress/television personality Jada Pinkett Smith’s marriage to actor/musician Will Smith became constant headline fodder over the last few years. For example, public conversations about the Smiths dominated the coverage of the 94th Academy Awards.

Will Smith infamously slapped comedian Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscar ceremony during the presentation of the Best Documentary Feature award. The highly-publicized on-stage assault came after Rock made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith’s bald head due to alopecia.

A new episode of the Red Table Talk show features Jada, Willow Smith, and Adrienne Banfield-Norris speaking with Mother Hunger author Kelly McDaniel about mother-daughter dynamics. The Facebook Watch presentation also includes Jada reflecting on her personal relationships.

“My thing was just not having protection. That’s my biggest wound that comes out in all my relationships,” said Jada Pinkett Smith in a clip posted to Instagram. The 50-year-old entertainer added, “Those women that you see and you think are so strong, there’s this terrified little girl underneath. That’s me.”

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Following Will Smith’s “Oscar Slap” in March, Jada Pinkett Smith used Red Table Talk to deliver a message about the incident. The star of Girls Trip claimed her family is “focusing on deep healing” that will be “shared at the table when the time calls.”

Will Smith preemptively resigned his Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences membership following his altercation with Chris Rock. In April, AMPAS banned the Philadelphia-raised rapper, previously known as The Fresh Prince, from attending the Academy Awards or any other Academy event for 10 years.

Jada Pinkett Smith’s Red Table Talk won a 2021 Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Talk Show Informative. The series also took home NAACP Image Awards in 2019 for Outstanding Talk Series and Outstanding Host – Talk or News/Information Series. Season 5 premiered on April 20.