Jada Pinkett Smith is revealing more about her history with Chris Rock.
Amid the news that she and husband Will Smith have been separated for the last seven years, the Girls Trip star dropped another revelation and said the comedian once tried to romance her after hearing rumblings of marital strife.
"I think every summer all the reports would come out that me and Will were getting a divorce," Jada told People in an interview published Oct. 11. "And this particular summer, Chris, he thought that we were getting a divorce. So he called me and basically he was like, 'I'd love to take you out.' And I was like, ‘What do you mean?' He was like, 'Well, aren't you and Will getting a divorce?' I was like, 'No. Chris, those are just rumors.' He was appalled. And he profusely apologized and that was that."
E! News has reached out to Chris' rep for comment but has yet to hear back.
Jada added she hasn't spoken to Chris since the 2022 Oscars, when Will took the stage and slapped the Saturday Night Live alum after he made a joke about the Red Table Talk host's bald head. (Jada has been open about her battle with alopecia). However, this wasn't the only Academy Awards show where there was drama between the two.
Six years prior, Jada had called out the award show for the lack of diversity among the nominees. Chris, who was hosting the 2016 ceremony, joked about Jada boycotting the event at that year's show. He further said in his 2023 Netflix special Chris Rock: Selective Outrage that she had urged him to step down as host as a sign of solidarity.
Looking back, Jada told People she was "not really recognizing the level of pressure [Chris] might've been under" in 2016 and that she could have called him to see how he was feeling. However, she said the Madagascar costars spoke after the event, and she thought they'd cleared the air.
"He apologized and I apologized to him as well," the actress continued. "So I actually thought that we were good, that the hatchet was buried between us. And we hadn't talked since then, until 2022 came."
Jada said Chris tried to speak to her during a broadcast break after Will's 2022 Oscars slap.
"Chris came down to the end of the stage and tried to apologize to me," the Worthy author told People. "He said, 'I didn't mean you any harm.' I said, 'I can't talk about this now, Chris. This is some old s--t.' I thought this was [about] the Oscar 2016 and…their stuff that they had before I even came into the picture in the late '80s. I've got to leave that to Will and Chris to talk about, but they got their stuff for sure."
As for how Jada felt about Chris' joke?
"I mean, that's what comedians do," she said. "I would just have to say that I am not really here to make any judgment on how people decide to express themselves and express their art. I'll say that several times I've had my feelings hurt, for sure. I've had my feelings hurt a lot by Chris. But at the end of the day, too, being in the spotlight, it comes with the territory."
Will, who picked up his Oscar for King Richard not long after the incident, later resigned from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences and was banned from its events for a decade. The actor also apologized to Chris for his "unacceptable" actions, noting Jada "had nothing to do with it."
But in his special, Chris said "Jada started this s--t" and that "nobody was pickin' on her." Meanwhile, Jade expressed her desire for him and Will to make peace.
"My deepest hope," she said on a June 2022 episode of Red Table Talk, "is that these two intelligent capable men have an opportunity to heal, talk this out, and reconcile."
To look back at stars' reactions to the 2022 Oscars incident, keep reading.
Jaden Smith: "And That's How We Do It"
Jaden Smith: "My Dads Speech Made Me Cry"
Alec Baldwin: "I am not reading much about how, or even if, the producers attended to Chris. But I love you, @chrisrock . And I'm sorry the Oscars turned into the Jerry Springer show."
Michael Che: "Im just saying, im frankly disappointed that the academy would just let will smith PHYSICALLY ATTACK a man, onstage, just because he didnt like a joke!... After that childish overreaction, they hand this guy a trophy?!"
Zoe Kravitz: "here's a picture of my dress at the show where we are apparently assaulting people on stage now."
OJ Simpson: "It was unfortunate. I think Will was wrong. Look, I understood the feeling. In my life, I've been through a lot of crap, and I was raising two young kids, and every comedian in the country had an OJ routine, and don't think I wouldn't wanna slap a couple of those guys. But you gotta accept, it's humor. I didn't think that was all that egregious. I thought it was a semi-funny joke."
Thomas Haden Church: "I think that Will Smith should be banned from the Oscars for the rest of his life... I think he should have his Academy membership stripped, but I don't think he should have the Oscar taken from him."
Lamar Odom: "He loves his wife. I do not condone violence against anyone... would I have hit him?, NO but he did what a husband is called to do. Protect his wife, from anything and anyone who causes her pain. Had I protected my wife versus mentally, emotionally and spiritually hurting her, I may still be married."
Jim Carrey: "I was sickened by the standing ovation... I felt like Hollywood is just spineless en masse and it really felt like, oh, this is a really clear indication that we're not the cool club anymore... I'd have announced this morning that I was suing Will for $200 million because that video is going to be there forever. It's going to be ubiquitous. You know, that insult is gonna last a very long time."
Adam Sandler: "Can't wait for [Chris Rock's tour]. Love you buddy!"
Tiffany Haddish: "When I saw a Black man stand up for his wife. That meant so much to me…. As a woman, who has been unprotected, for someone to say, 'Keep my wife's name out your mouth, leave my wife alone,' that's what your husband is supposed to do, right? Protect you. And that meant the world to me. And maybe the world might not like how it went down, but for me, it was the most beautiful thing I've ever seen because it made me believe that there are still men out there that love and care about their women, their wives."
Sophia Bush: "Violence isn't ok. Assault is never the answer. Also? This is the 2nd time that Chris has made fun of Jada on the #Oscars stage, & tonight he went after her alopecia. Punching down at someone's auto-immune disease is wrong. Doing so on purpose is cruel. They both need a breather."
Kathy Griffin: "Let me tell you something, it's a very bad practice to walk up on stage and physically assault a Comedian. Now we all have to worry about who wants to be the next Will Smith in comedy clubs and theaters."
Rob Reiner: "Will Smith owes Chris Rock a huge apology. There is no excuse for what he did. He's lucky Chris is not filing assault charges. The excuses he made tonight were bulls--t."
Mia Farrow: "It was just a joke. Jokes are what Chris Rock does. Always has been edgy. This was a mild joke for him. And i love GI Jane."
Nicki Minaj: "I love Chris Rock. I don't think he would've made that joke had he known what Jada recently shared- but between him & the whole team @ the #Oscars you mean to tell me not ONE of y'all heard this woman just share this heartbreaking story? #ComeOnSon … Here's the thing… And this is such an AMAZING - EYE OPENING example of it… The husband gets a front row seat to his wife's pain… he's the 1 consoling her… drying her tears behind closed doors when those cameras go off. Social media has made ppl feel that these 'husbands' won't ever run into them in real life."
Cardi B: "At your highest moment …be careful that's when the devil tries to come for you."
Jamie Dornan: "What a fight, sorry, Night!"
Cheryl Burke: "I can't stop thinking about what we saw at the Oscars. I don't agree with making fun of a medical condition, but the way Will handled it wasn't ok. As a survivor of abuse, I think a leader of his stature should show kids, esp his own, how to handle conflict with love not fear."
Natasha Rothwell: "Never thought the La La land debacle would ever be eclipsed but here we are."
Trevor Noah: "Wtaf????? That wasn't scripted?????"
Maria Shriver: "We should never get to a place where we sit and watch a movie star hit someone on global television then, moments later, get a standing ovation while talking about love. #WillSmith #Oscars."
Margaret Joseph: "Wow so disappointed in Will Smiths behavior tonight. @chrisrock is a class act he handled himself with true professionalism . Amazing the way he kept it moving#Oscar."