Jada Pinkett Smith’s legal battle with Will Smith’s former friend, Bilaal Salaam, has taken a fresh turn after he reportedly asked a judge to compel her to answer questions under oath.
Salaam, who claims he was close to Will Smith for nearly 40 years, is seeking another court order in the ongoing dispute with the actress.
According to reports, Salaam wants Jada to appear for a deposition within 30 days.
He claimed that a previous deposition was scheduled for May 20, but alleged that Jada did not show up.
Salaam is said to be seeking answers about alleged communications and whether Jada approved threats allegedly made against him.
Origin of the dispute
The dispute began in 2025 when Salaam sued Jada for $3m in damages.
He alleged that the actress became upset after he refused to help Will Smith following the actor’s controversial slap of Chris Rock at the Oscars.
Salaam also claimed that third parties later threatened him after Jada allegedly learned about his planned memoir.
In 2023, Salaam made controversial claims involving Will Smith and actor Duane Martin.
Will Smith publicly dismissed the allegations as “nonsense.”
Jada has also strongly denied the allegations against her and has asked the court to dismiss the lawsuit.
The court has already thrown out most of Salaam’s claims, but he believes Jada’s testimony could help support the remaining parts of his case.
He argued that a full deposition is necessary for him to gather more evidence.
Jada’s legal team has opposed the request.
Her lawyers said she had already answered similar questions in the past and argued that any further deposition should be limited to one hour.
They also said the issues in the lawsuits overlap heavily and do not justify another lengthy round of questioning.
For now, the judge has not ruled on Salaam’s request.
The court will decide whether Jada must appear again to answer questions under oath.
The latest move adds another chapter to the messy legal fight involving Jada, Will Smith’s former associate and allegations tied to one of Hollywood’s most talked-about families.
