Actor Jada Pinkett Smith has said she did have a relationship with singer August Alsina, but denied his version of events.
Earlier this month, Alsina, 27, claimed to have had the “blessing” of Pinkett Smith’s husband, actor Will Smith, to begin a relationship with her, in an interview with The Breakfast Club.
Alsina was said to have met Pinkett Smith, 48, after being introduced by her son, actor and rapper Jaden, in 2015.
Pinkett Smith and her husband initially did not respond to Alsina’s claims in the press, but have now appeared on Pinkett Smith’s Facebook show, Red Table Talk, to give their perspective.
“This is a very personal journey, that became very public,” Pinkett Smith said, explaining how she became friends with Alsina, who was apparently suffering from ill health at the time.
The Smiths revealed that, at the time she became involved with Alsina, they had decided to separate and were “over”, which they had previously not disclosed to the press.
Pinkett Smith said it was at this time that she entered “a different kind of entanglement” with Alsina.
She denied the detail of Alsina’s account about her husband giving “permission”. “The only person who could give permission in that particular circumstance was myself,” she said.
She continued: “What August was probably trying to communicate – because I could see how he would perceive it as permission, because we were separated amicably – I think he wanted to make it clear that he’s not a homewrecker. Which he’s not.”
Pinkett Smith said she does not view the relationship with Alsina a “transgression” because she and Smith were separated at the time.
“I learned so much about myself and was able to really confront a lot of emotional immaturity… insecurity,” she said.
“As I came through and started to realise certain things about you and I, [August] decided to break all communication with me, which was totally understandable.”
Pinkett Smith said she has not spoken with Alsina ”in so long”. She said she and Smith have now reached a place of “unconditional love”.
“We ride together, we die together. Bad marriage for life,” the couple said in unison, riffing on a quote from Smith’s Bad Boys film franchise.
