Will Smith Could Be Added to Jada Pinkett Smith’s $3 Million Lawsuit After Former Friend Alleges He Backed Threats

Will Smith could become a defendant in an ongoing $3 million lawsuit involving his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, and his former longtime friend Bilaal Salaam. Salaam has asked a California court for permission to amend his case and add the Oscar-winning actor as a co-defendant, alleging Smith personally participated in or supported threats directed at him.

The allegations are serious, but they remain claims made by Salaam in court filings and have not been proven. Pinkett Smith has denied allegations connected to the dispute, while Smith’s response to the latest attempt to add him as a defendant had not been reported when the new filing emerged.

Salaam Moves to Bring Will Smith Into the Case

Salaam filed a motion on Aug. 18 seeking to add Smith as a co-defendant in his emotional-distress lawsuit against Pinkett Smith. A Los Angeles judge subsequently ordered a response to the request within 30 days of service, according to USA TODAY’s reporting carried by Yahoo News.

Until now, Smith has largely been a figure surrounding the litigation rather than a defendant himself.

That distinction became important in July, when Salaam sought to question Smith under oath. Pinkett Smith’s attorney responded that Smith was not a party to the litigation and said the proper procedures for obtaining discovery from a nonparty would need to be followed.

Salaam’s latest motion attempts to change that status entirely.

Salaam Alleges Smith Supported a Threat From Jada

Among the most significant new allegations is Salaam’s account of an Oct. 5, 2021 phone conversation.

According to Salaam’s proposed amendment, Pinkett Smith allegedly threatened to have him killed if he continued discussing private information about her or moved forward with a memoir. Salaam claims Smith was present and subsequently affirmed what his wife had said.

Again, these are allegations contained in Salaam’s filing, not established findings by a court.

Salaam also alleges that an earlier confrontation occurred around Smith’s birthday in September 2021. His original lawsuit accused Pinkett Smith of telling him he could “end up missing or catch a bullet” if he continued discussing her personal life. Pinkett Smith has denied Salaam’s allegations.

The Dispute Stretches Back Several Years

Salaam says his relationship with the Smith family deteriorated over his plans to write a memoir discussing his experiences with them.

The dispute became particularly public after Salaam gave a controversial interview in November 2023 containing claims about Smith’s private life. Pinkett Smith subsequently characterized his conduct as a “money shakedown” and rejected his claims.

Salaam alleges that he later became the target of a broader campaign of intimidation and retaliation.

His lawsuit also connects some of the alleged conflict to the aftermath of the 2022 Academy Awards, when Smith walked onto the stage and slapped Chris Rock after the comedian made a joke about Pinkett Smith.

Salaam says he was asked to assist with crisis management following the Oscars controversy but declined.

Additional Threats Are Alleged

Salaam claims associates connected with the couple subsequently contacted him.

In the latest filing, he alleges that one person with a longstanding professional relationship with Smith threatened physical harm. Salaam argues that this was part of what he describes as a coordinated intimidation campaign.

Previous court reporting has also documented Salaam’s claims that he received threatening communications after Pinkett Smith learned about his planned memoir.

The surviving portions of the lawsuit concern alleged threats, coercion and intimidation, after other parts of Salaam’s case were narrowed through California’s anti-SLAPP process.

Pinkett Smith Has Fought Back in Court

The litigation has not gone entirely Salaam’s way.

Earlier this year, a judge struck portions of his lawsuit under California’s anti-SLAPP law. Pinkett Smith subsequently sought to recover legal fees associated with successfully challenging those claims.

Meanwhile, her legal team has been pursuing discovery from Salaam.

In July, Pinkett Smith asked the court to require him to turn over recordings he says support allegations that he received threatening phone calls from intermediaries. Her lawyers argued that those recordings were central to the claims remaining in the case.

That means the dispute is increasingly focused not merely on competing public statements but on what evidence each side can produce.

Will Smith Had Already Been Sought for a Deposition

The latest development did not come completely out of nowhere.

In July, Salaam sought Smith’s testimony under oath. Pinkett Smith’s attorney opposed his approach, emphasizing at the time that Smith was not a defendant and reportedly had not been served with a subpoena.

Now Salaam is seeking something substantially more consequential: making Smith an actual party to the lawsuit.

If the court permits the amendment, Smith could face direct claims alongside Pinkett Smith rather than simply being someone Salaam wants to question.

What Happens Next

Salaam is seeking $3 million in damages and a jury trial. His allegations center on intentional infliction of emotional distress and what he describes as years of intimidation connected to his falling out with the Smiths.

But the latest filing does not mean a court has determined that Smith participated in any threat. It is a request by Salaam to expand his lawsuit, and his accusations remain disputed allegations unless established through evidence and subsequent court proceedings.

For Smith, however, the filing represents a potentially significant change. A legal dispute in which he had previously been discussed as a possible witness could now place him directly alongside Pinkett Smith as a defendant if Salaam’s request is granted.

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