Will Smith allegedly corroborated violent threats made by his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, against a former associate who planned to write a book about their family, according to a lawsuit filed by musician Bilaal Salaam.
Salaam is suing Pinkett Smith for intentional infliction of emotional distress, with his legal complaint detailing a phone call on or about October 5, 2021. Salaam claims that during this call, which also included Will Smith and another friend, Charlie Mack, Jada Pinkett Smith threatened to have him killed if he continued to pursue publishing a memoir or giving interviews about his time with the couple.
According to the complaint reviewed by the Daily Mail, when Salaam asked Will Smith about Jada's statements, the actor responded, "You heard what my wife said." Representatives for both parties have been contacted for comment.
The lawsuit also alleges an earlier incident on September 25, 2021, at a private event for Will Smith's birthday. Salaam claims Jada Pinkett Smith approached him, accompanied by her entourage, and threatened him, stating he would "end up missing" or she would "make sure he would 'catch a bullet or a beatdown'" if he discussed her private matters. She allegedly demanded he sign a non-disclosure agreement, then walked away.
Salaam asserted in his filing that he considered these threats genuine, citing the Smiths' "substantial wealth, resources, and a wide network of associates."
Further allegations in the complaint state that actor Duane Martin, an associate of the Smiths, contacted Salaam the day after Will Smith slapped Chris Rock at the 2022 Academy Awards. Martin reportedly asked Salaam to participate in a public relations effort for damage control, which Salaam refused, believing it to be a "deceptive" campaign. Salaam claims Martin warned him of "serious problems" if he did not cooperate.
Salaam previously filed a legal complaint in November 2025, asserting a four-decade friendship with Will Smith. He alleged that after he rejected the PR offer, the Smith family initiated a "retaliatory campaign" against him, which intensified when news surfaced of his planned memoir.
Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith have been married since 1997. They have two children together, Jaden, 28, and Willow, 26. Smith also has a son, Trey, 33, from a previous marriage.
The lawsuit reference to the 2022 Oscars incident involves Will Smith slapping Chris Rock after the comedian made a joke about Pinkett Smith's shaved head. Pinkett Smith has publicly shared her struggles with alopecia, a condition causing hair loss.
Smith later apologized for his actions, stating his behavior was unacceptable and that he had reached out to Rock. He resigned from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and received a 10-year ban from the Oscars. In a July 2022 apology video, Smith said his wife "had nothing to do with" his outburst, stating it was a choice he made "on my own from my own experiences, from my history with Chris."