Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith walking together at a formal red carpet event
A High-Stakes Request for Testimony
Bilaal Salaam, a former assistant and longtime friend of Will Smith, is attempting to pull the Oscar-winning actor into a bitter legal dispute. Representing himself, Salaam recently emailed a formal request to question Smith under oath as part of his ongoing $3 million lawsuit against Jada Pinkett Smith.
Jada’s legal team immediately shut down the effort. Her attorneys informed Salaam there was “nothing to meet and confer about,” noting that Will is not a defendant in the lawsuit and has not been formally served with a subpoena.
Alleged Threats at a California Hotel
Salaam filed his lawsuit against the actress in December 2025. Salaam’s allegations center on a heated confrontation at a California hotel in September 2021.
According to the court filing, Salaam claims Jada warned him he would “end up missing or catch a bullet” if he continued discussing her private life in public. Jada has vehemently denied these accusations.
Salaam says his relationship with the family deteriorated further when he refused to help with “crisis management” following Will’s infamous 2022 Oscars altercation with Chris Rock. Tensions allegedly boiled over once the Smiths learned he was writing a tell-all memoir about his 40-year friendship with the actor.
Will and Jada have presented a united front, dismissing Salaam’s claims as complete fabrications designed purely for financial gain.
Demanding Hard Evidence
Jada’s attorneys are now fighting back aggressively. They have asked the court to force Salaam to hand over hard evidence to back up his multimillion-dollar demands.
Her legal team is seeking any audio recordings of the alleged threats made on Jada’s behalf, alongside medical records proving Salaam’s claims of severe emotional distress. Furthermore, the defense is resisting his request to depose Jada a second time, arguing she has already answered extensive questions. If a judge mandates another session, her lawyers demand a strict one-hour time limit.
Multiple Lawsuits and Mounting Legal Fees
The legal warfare extends far beyond Jada Pinkett Smith. Sheree Zampino, Will Smith’s ex-wife, has filed a separate $1 million defamation lawsuit against Salaam.
Zampino’s lawsuit stems from controversial comments Salaam made on Tasha K’s Unwine podcast in late 2023 while promoting his planned memoir.
Salaam has already suffered major setbacks in his battle against Jada. Earlier this year, a California judge threw out significant portions of his lawsuit under the state’s anti-SLAPP law, ruling that several of his challenged statements were protected speech.
The judge ordered Salaam to pay Jada $32,836 in attorney fees. Salaam has since petitioned the court to reduce or restructure the debt, claiming he cannot afford the judgment.
The case returns to court this August, where a judge is scheduled to rule on escalating discovery disputes, evidence compulsion, and the ongoing standoff over depositions.
