Jada Pinkett Smith seems to be in an apologetic phase of her life, and she’s using her new Facebook series, Red Table Talk, as a public reconciliation forum. She’s already brought on Will’s ex-wife, Sheree Fletcher, mother to Will’s oldest son, Trey, sharing that the two didn’t always see eye-to-eye on things. Jada is now discussing her 17-year-long feud with fellow actress Gabrielle Union.
It’s not known why Jada and Gabrielle were feuding. The reason wasn’t addressed during the 20-minute conversation and the actresses aren’t even sure what happened. Gabrielle was the first to bring it up, during an interview earlier this month on the TODAY Show. She noted it was perplexing that they weren’t friendly as they are both passionate about the same issues and their spouses, Will and Miami Heat point guard Dwayne Wade, are friends.
Gabrielle told Hoda Kotb that finding her own “self-worth” and wanting “more joy, peace and grace in my life” prompted her to make amends with Jada. She blamed the media for blowing the situation out of proportion, stating:
”Jada nor I never used the word ‘feud,’ so it just became more of a media creation. Kind of like, back in the day, neither one of us actually knows what took place back then. But the people that we had around us were like, ‘Well, you know how she feels about you,’ and they were like, ‘Well, you know how she feels about you.’ And then it was like, ‘OK, girl, bye.’ For 17 years.”
“We had too much pride and too much insecurity to just say, ‘Hey, did that ever actually happen or was that a creation of someone else who did not want to see two women rise together?'”
Jada and Gabrielle kissed and made up in public on Monday’s episode of Red Table Talk. Jada opened the show by telling her mother, Adrienne, that the two “were never really girlfriends; we were great associates,” admitting that, “At some point, that dissolved and for 17 years we have not really spoken.”
Why Gabrielle, why now?
Says Jada, ”This is a very special show for me, because what I decided to do was make this about creating a new girlfriend. Gab and I, we had a bit of a break, we don’t know how, and she’s been open to this healing, she’s been open to this conversation.”On the reconciliation-starting phone call Jada made to Gabrielle:
“It felt so good on the phone with you to even just go, ‘Hey, I’m sorry that I didn’t even take the time to talk to you, you know?’ And then I had to just apologize and just thinking to myself, ‘Damn, Jada! That was some petty ass s–t!’ But, at the same time going, ‘Well, that’s where you were then. Thank God you’re someplace else now.'”Gabrielle’s lessons from her life coach:
She’d ”been communicating through negativity, and shrinking other people [while] hoping that I’m growing.”Jada on burying the hatchet:
“I hope from here on out we have a bond and you know that you can call on me for anything. Thank you for just being open to this.”
[From Facebook/Red Table Talk]
The only theory floating around as the reason for the beef is jealousy on Jada’s part for Will casting Gabrielle in Bad Boys 2, but, since no one is talking, no one really knows. Well, this is hardly the cause for a new season of Ryan Murphy’s Feud, now, is it? But, hey, it’s nice that Jada and Gabrielle were able to get past their differences and move on. If nothing else, we’re paying attention to Jada’s Facebook show. Who is up next? A waiter Jada undertipped one day? I kid, I kid….
Photos: WENN.com, Getty Images, Instagram
Both ladies look amazing, wow! I need whatever they are using.
Really??! All I can see is that they’re both getting a little too aggressive with the scalpels and injections…
Jada looks like a hamster stocking up for winter. The grand-ma is the real deal.
I haven’t watched the video but Jada looks scary with the fillers while Gabrielle looks good.
Really? Jada looks unrecognizable.
I watched this and Jada really annoyed me. She somehow ‘acts’ genuine, instead of really being genuine. I can’t quite put my finger on it.
I get it, she comes off with this fake enlightenment. “Hear what I have to say and what I went through, look how i sloved this problem”….. It makes you question if she is real or not sometimes
I’ve always felt this from Jada. She leads from her ego in everything she does. She even says so here. It’s off putting for me but many people are fine with this. Ego leading to success and all or whatever. I’m wired differently so tend to avoid people like Jada just because they’re uncomfortable for me. Not my style. Doesn’t mean she’s wrong. Seems the whole world is wired for ego first forward motion in all things.
Jada always looks a bit fake but she’s gorgeous. I see people complain about Botox, but she looks amazing to me.
Oh please, I have people I haven’t spoken to in years and I remember exactly why in vivid detail. Odds are of them remembers why she stopped speaking to the other and just doesn’t want to air it at this point.
yeah I’m not buying the “we didn’t speak for seventeen years but our husbands are friends and gosh we just can’t remember why.” something happened and they’ve decided they’re both grown up now.
Didn’t Gabrielle discuss openly a couple of years about being a mean girl? Lainey gossip had a story about this.
Yeah I’m not buying the “I don’t remember” excuse either.
Hmmm why do I have the feeling a third “friend” stirred the pot….
I think laineygossip had a good review of the whole situation in a couple of articles. I think maybe both of them were in their feelings, being up for similar roles, with very few available, and it was hard being supportive since it would literally mean fewer roles and jobs for them. She mentions a speech of Gabrielle’s from a few years back: “I used to shrink in the presence of other dope, beautiful women. I used to revel in gossip and rumors. I lived for the negativity inflicted upon my sister actresses or anyone who I felt, whose shine diminished my own..” And I wonder if Jada was the same, before they realized they could work together and each succeed. I haven’t watched the facebook show, but I think at least Gabrielle is really on the road to making peace and shining her light while enhancing others, just from her statements and quotes. (I always side eye Jada at first because of her Scientology connections…)
Also, Bad Boys was 15 years ago, so they already didn’t like each other when it started – which had to make things awkward between Will and Jada!
This is PR, plain and simple. Who even cares about this feud that no one knew about until they decided to talk about it in every other interview?
Not me.
I remember Gabrielle talking about this in interviews. She said Jada would visit the Bad Boys set and be all like, “Hands off my man,” and that it was really unpleasant for her or something to that effect. I don’t know why Jada was worried; we all know Will asks for permission before he sleeps with other women. Open marriage.
I’ve been extremely impressed with Gabrielle Union lately. Can’t wait to read her book!
Their reconciliation gives me the warm fuzzies. It’s kinda weird they can’t (or won’t) recall the origins of their rift but at any rate it’s great to see them back on good terms.
I just watched the video, and found it so inspiring. The words Gabrielle spoke really resonated with me. I, too, am guilty of putting other women down. I have young girls, and that’s not how I want them to be.
Then I come to the comment section on here, and am sad to see all the negativity, and rude comments. Let’s build others up…not down.
I will start: both these women are very articulate, and well spoken. They are going through a wonderful journey, and I admire them admitting their faults. They are both gorgeous, and I wish them all the best!
Let’s jeep it going, ladies!😊