Months after a bombshell lawsuit was filed against Jada Pinkett Smith, the Red Table Talk host with a multimillion dollar net worth is caught in a financial legal battle with her estranged husband, Will Smith's former friend.
In November 2025, Bilaal Salaam, an old friend of Will's who also goes by Brother Bilaal, filed a lawsuit with the Los Angeles County Superior Court, per court documents obtained by HELLO!. Bilaal charged Jada, 54, with three counts of Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress.
While the case was dismissed, through his lawsuit, Bilaal sought a whopping $3 million in damages for "emotional distress," and alleged that he even plans to file a suit against Will himself. He also claims that the "distress" caused by Jada led to financial and reputational harm, physical and emotional health issues, as well as "the complete derailment of his personal life and career."
© Getty ImagesOn April 23, Jada asked a judge to force Bilaal to cover her legal fees. Per court documents obtained by TMZ, the Girls Trip actress is seeking $49,000 from Will's old friend, noting that Bilaal should be responsible for the legal costs she incurred defending herself in the case.
While the case is still ongoing, here's everything we know about Jada's $50 million net worth as she demands $49k.
Jada Pinkett Smith's rise to A-lister status
Jada grew up in Baltimore, Maryland with her grandmother, a Jamaican-born social worker, and her mom, Adrienne Banfield-Norris, a nurse at a city clinic. Jada quickly became interested in acting, studying theater and dance at Baltimore School for the Arts.
© Getty ImagesAfter studying drama for a year at the North Carolina School of the Arts, Jada starred in an episode of True Colors, soon landing guest spots on Doogie Howser, M.D. and 21 Jump Street. What really launched the actress into stardom was her role in The Nutty Professor alongside Eddie Murphy.
The film was a massive hit, earning $274 million worldwide. After the success of the comedy, Jada continued to star in blockbusters, including Scream 2, Return to Paradise, and Bamboozled.
Jada's combined net worth with Will
While Jada and Will are no longer technically together, their 19 year relationship built an incredible net worth. After meeting on the set of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air in 1994, where Jada auditioned for Will's girlfriend, the two hit it off.
© Getty ImagesThree years later in 1997, the couple tied the knot and welcomed two children, Jaden, 27, and Willow, 25. In 2023, Will and Jada revealed that they had been quietly separated since 2016. However, they remain close friends and have announced no intention of splitting up permanently.
Together, Will and Jada have an estimated net worth of $350 million.
Business boomed for Jada
Acting wasn't Jada's only focus. She was the founder of a music company, 100% Womon Productions, and a fashion label, Maja. In 2005, Jada published a children's book called Girls Hold Up This World and invested $10 million in the beauty line Carol's Daughter.
Years after becoming an A-lister, Jada launched Red Table Talk alongside her mom and daughter. The trio covered controversial topics and never bit their tongues, leading to Jada being named one of the 100 most influential people in the world.
