Hollywood power couple Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith are preparing to take legal action against a former associate who made salacious claims about the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air star engaging in an extramarital affair with actor Duane Martin while he was married.
During an exclusive preview of an interview on Power 105.1’s The Breakfast Club, shared on Wednesday, 52-year-old Pinkett Smith revealed that the couple has enlisted the help of lawyers to handle the explosive allegations that Smith, 55, had a sexual relationship with Martin.
The interview took a turn towards the persistent rumors surrounding the Smiths’ marriage when radio host Charlamagne tha God brought up speculation about swinging or homosexuality. Charlamagne specifically asked Pinkett Smith about the rumors involving Smith and Martin, a topic that co-host DJ Envy noted had gained recent traction.
Pinkett Smith vehemently dismissed the claims during the interview, labeling them as “ridiculous” and “nonsense.”
The origins of these rumors can be traced back to Brother Bilal, a former friend of the Smith family, who made the allegations during an interview on Unwine With Tasha K.
Bilal claimed to have witnessed an intimate encounter between Smith and Martin, with Pinkett Smith characterising him as attempting a failed money shakedown.
“We’re gonna take legal action,” she told the US radio show, emphasising the importance of distinguishing between expressing opinions and fabricating scandalous stories. She reiterated that the allegations were unequivocally false.
Pinkett Smith clarified that Bilal had previously collaborated with Smith on a book and believed he was inadequately compensated for his contributions. According to the Red Table Talk host, Bilal attempted a monetary shakeup, but Smith’s specific offer was declined. She asserted that the entire situation stemmed from Bilal’s dissatisfaction with the compensation.
While Pinkett Smith admitted lacking all the details about the alleged business deal between Smith and Bilal, she conveyed the couple’s commitment to resolving the matter through legal channels.
A representative for Smith informed People magazine that Bilal’s claims are “completely fabricated” and the allegations are “unequivocally false.”
This development comes three years after Pinkett Smith’s infamous “entanglement” scandal involving musician August Alsina, a much younger man.
In a June 2020 YouTube interview, Alsina, 31, disclosed a romantic involvement with Pinkett Smith that originated in 2015 through Jaden, the son of Pinkett Smith and Will Smith.
Pinkett Smith later clarified on a July 2020 episode of Red Table Talk that the relationship occurred several years prior, during a challenging period leading to their temporary separation.
Pinkett Smith recently revealed that she and Smith have been living separate lives since 2017 but have no plans to divorce.
