The court battle may still be ongoing, but Jada Pinkett Smith scored a legal win this week in a case tied to accusations by Bilaal Salaam, a longtime former friend of Will Smith who filed a multi-million-dollar lawsuit against her last year.
During a hearing in Los Angeles on May 18, a judge ordered Salaam to cover more than $32,000 in legal expenses connected to Pinkett Smith’s successful effort to challenge portions of his lawsuit. USA Today reports that court records show the actress originally requested a larger amount, though the court reduced the total after reviewing billing entries described as excessive. The ruling marks another turn in a lawsuit that has steadily grown more personal and public since it was first filed in late 2025.
Salaam's Allegations Against The Smiths
Salaam accused Pinkett Smith of intentionally causing emotional distress through alleged threats and intimidation tied to his public comments about the Smith family. He claimed tensions escalated after he began discussing private matters involving the couple and later moved forward with plans to write a memoir about his relationship with them.
According to the complaint, one alleged confrontation took place during a birthday gathering for Will Smith, where Salaam claimed Pinkett Smith and several associates warned him against continuing to speak publicly about her personal life. Another dispute allegedly followed the fallout surrounding the 2022 Academy Awards incident involving Chris Rock. Salaam said he was approached to assist with behind-the-scenes damage control efforts after the televised altercation and claimed his refusal created further conflict between himself and the couple.
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The lawsuit also centers around public statements made after Salaam gave interviews discussing the Smith family. Pinkett Smith later characterized his actions as an attempted “money shakedown,” while publicly signaling she was prepared to take legal action in response. Then, earlier this spring, the court partially sided with Pinkett Smith by striking several allegations tied specifically to media statements from Salaam’s complaint. The latest ruling requiring him to cover her legal costs stems from that earlier victory.
Despite the setback, Salaam’s broader lawsuit remains active. He is still pursuing millions of dollars in damages along with a public retraction of statements he alleges harmed his reputation.
