Shocking court documents have revealed allegations that Jada Pinkett Smith threatened to have her husband Will Smith's best friend "end up missing" or "catch a bullet" if he continued speaking about their personal life. The friend, Bilaal Salaam, is now suing the actress for $3 million in damages for intentional infliction of emotional distress.
The Alleged Hotel Confrontation and Threats
According to filings in Los Angeles Superior Court, the dramatic incident unfolded in September 2021. Salaam claims Jada, then 54, approached him with a group of seven people in the lobby of a Calabasas, California hotel. The location was hosting a private gathering for Will Smith's 53rd birthday.
The legal papers state Pinkett Smith became "verbally aggressive" and demanded Salaam sign a non-disclosure agreement "or else." The alleged threats included warnings that he would "end up missing" or "catch a bullet" if he did not comply. Salaam alleges he left for his car, with one of the associates following him to continue issuing verbal threats.
A Friendship Destroyed and a Life Upended
Bilaal Salaam, who had a cameo in Will Smith's 2000 film The Legend of Bagger Vance, describes himself in the suit as Smith's "best friend for nearly 40 years." He claims the fallout from the confrontation and subsequent events has devastated his life.
He states he suffered post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), developed high blood pressure and Type 2 diabetes, and gained 100 pounds. Furthermore, he says he was "forced into self-exile for nearly two years," a period which cost him a long-term romantic relationship and time with his children.
Salaam also alleges that his luxury jewellery brand, Bopulent—which he claims had endorsements from celebrities like Kevin Hart and Snoop Dogg—was destroyed. A planned whistleblower memoir, projected to have a $500,000 advance, was suspended due to "fear and emotional collapse."
Oscars Fallout and a "Smear Campaign"
The legal complaint details further pressure following the 2022 Academy Awards, where Will Smith slapped comedian Chris Rock. Salaam claims actor Duane Martin contacted him for crisis management help, which he refused. He alleges Martin then warned he would have "serious problems with Jada" for not assisting.
Salaam asserts that Pinkett Smith then began a coordinated media smear campaign against him. He specifically cites an appearance on an iHeartMedia radio show where, he claims, she falsely stated he had attempted a "money shakedown," implying criminal extortion.
Another point of contention is Jada's denial to TMZ that she had ever seen her husband engage in intimate behaviour with men. Salaam says this was a deliberate effort to discredit him, as he had previously released a video showing Will Smith groping actor Alfonso Ribeiro in front of Jada and her children.
Bilaal Salaam, who is representing himself in the case, told the Daily Mail he is "seeking justice for the atrocities committed against me by Will and Jada." He clarified that while the initial three counts target Jada Pinkett Smith, he plans to file against Will Smith separately. Representatives for the Smiths did not respond to requests for comment on the allegations.
