Jada Pinkett Smith Admits She Initially Didn't Want To Do Jordyn Woods Interview

BY Erika Marie 7.4K Views
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It hit a little too close to home.

News outlets were clamoring for exclusive interviews with Jordyn Woods when rumors began to surface that she "hooked up" with Khloe Kardashian's baby daddy and Cleveland Cavaliers star Tristan Thompson. Then, finally, Woods sat down for her first and only interview where she spoke about the incident with Jada Pinkett Smith on Red Table Talk.

It may have come as a surprise to some that the 21-year-old model would agree to share her story on that platform, but anyone who knows the history of Woods and the Smiths would see it as a natural fit. Woods's father, John, was a sound engineer on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and she's grown up having a close relationship with the Smiths. Even so, when the scandal broke, Jada wasn't too keen on getting the exclusive interview and needed some convincing before it happened.

“Jordyn really felt like it was the only safe place that she could do that interview,” Jada told PEOPLE. “It actually wasn’t something I wanted to do because it was very close [to home], but as time transpired, Jordyn was just like, ‘I really need you in this platform’ and Will felt like it was supremely important. So I was like, okay let’s do it.”

“That was my intention honestly,” says Jada. “I just wanted her to have a platform to tell her story. That’s it. She’s a young beautiful woman inside and out and me having been a young girl, we sometimes get in situations that we don’t necessarily know how to handle… You just [try to] help young girls navigate through life, through difficult situations we’ve all come across.”


About The Author
Since 2019, Erika Marie has worked as a journalist for HotNewHipHop, covering music, film, television, art, fashion, politics, and all things regarding entertainment. With 20 years in the industry under her belt, Erika Marie moved from a writer on the graveyard shift at HNHH to becoming the Co-Head of Original Content. She has had the pleasure of sitting down with artists and personalities like DJ Jazzy Jeff, Salt ’N Pepa, Nick Cannon, Rah Digga, Rakim, Rapsody, Ari Lennox, Jacquees, Roxanne Shante, Yo-Yo, Sean Paul, Raven Symoné, Queen Naija, Ryan Destiny, DreamDoll, DaniLeigh, Sean Kingston, Reginae Carter, Jason Lee, Kamaiyah, Rome Flynn, Zonnique, Fantasia, and Just Blaze—just to name a few. In addition to one-on-one chats with influential public figures, Erika Marie also covers content connected to the culture. She’s attended and covered the BET Awards as well as private listening parties, the Rolling Loud festival, and other events that emphasize established and rising talents. Detroit-born and Long Beach (CA)-raised, Erika Marie has eclectic music taste that often helps direct the interests she focuses on here at HNHH. She finds it necessary to report on cultural conversations with respect and honor those on the mic and the hardworking teams that help get them there. Moreover, as an advocate for women, Erika Marie pays particular attention to the impact of femcees. She sits down with rising rappers for HNHH—like Big Jade, Kali, Rubi Rose, Armani Caesar, and Amy Luciani—to gain their perspectives on a fast-paced industry.

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