It started as a $3 million lawsuit. Now it’s turning into a bill, and Jada Pinkett Smith wants someone else to pay it.
Jada Pinkett Smith is not backing down after scoring a legal win in court. The actress is now asking a judge to order Bilaal Salaam, a longtime associate of Will Smith, to reimburse her nearly $49,000 in legal fees after parts of his lawsuit against her were thrown out.
According to court filings cited by TMZ, Jada’s legal team has requested $48,975 from Salaam, arguing that since key parts of his emotional distress case were dismissed, he should also cover the cost of fighting them.
How things escalated
Salaam filed a $3 million lawsuit in 2024 claiming emotional distress. He alleged that after the 2022 Oscars incident where Will Smith slapped Chris Rock on live television, he was pulled into damage control efforts connected to the Smiths.
He further claimed that things turned against him when the couple learned he was working on a memoir. According to his suit, Jada and several members of her team allegedly threatened him, causing severe emotional distress. Salaam said the fallout affected his health, relationships, and even forced him to leave the country.
Jada Pinkett Smith has strongly denied all accusations, calling them false and part of a broader attempt to target her and Will Smith. Her legal team argued the case had no solid basis and was designed more for attention than truth.
Sources close to the couple previously told People the lawsuit was nothing more than a “money ploy.”
Court rules and counters
A judge has already dismissed the emotional distress portion of Salaam’s case, giving Jada a partial legal victory. Now she’s flipping the pressure back on him with a request for legal fee reimbursement.
However, the fight isn’t over yet. Other parts of Salaam’s lawsuit are still active and will continue through the court system. A judge is expected to decide soon whether Salaam will have to pay the legal costs.
For now, neither Jada Pinkett Smith nor Bilaal Salaam has made any public statement about the latest move.