Jada Pinkett Smith’s mother says she had non-consensual sex with Jada’s father
The painful-to-watch interaction appears to Adrienne Banfield-Norris’ first time telling Pinkett Smith.
In a compelling conversation on their hit show, Red Table Talk, Adrienne Banfield-Norris revealed to her daughter, Jada Pinkett Smith, that she had non-consensual sex with Smith’s late father.
The discussion was centered on the topic of consent in sexual encounters, and Banfield-Norris was asked if she ever had a sexual experience that was “not necessarily consensual.”
Actress Jada Pinkett Smith (left) and her mother, Adrienne Banfield-Norris, two-thirds of the “Red Table Talk” show, pose backstage at a 2014 Christian Siriano fashion show during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York City. (Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images)
“I have, but it was also with my husband. Your dad, actually,’ Banfield-Norris said.
To clarify, Pinkett Smith restated the assertion, asking, “You’re basically saying you had non-consensual sex with my father?”
The elder woman confirmed with a nod.
The interaction is painful to watch as the mother and daughter appear to be sharing this family secret for the first time.
Banfield-Norris became pregnant with Pinkett Smith in high school. She was previously married to Robsol Pinkett.
Red Table Talk, which also features Pinkett Smith’s daughter, Willow Smith, has been an opportunity for the women in the Smith family to help others through their frank conversations. Banfield-Norris has previously talked about her own challenges with addiction, as well as her domestic violence survival, also at the hands of her famous child’s father.
Banfield-Norris has previously said that the abuse she suffered was the result of Robsol Pinkett’s own alcoholism. “His addiction, he just wasn’t rational,” she said. “I feel like once again I’m trying to make excuses for him.”
Pinkett Smith has previously said that once her father gained sobriety, he was more of “a gentle soul.” She has said that she has more “compassion” for him in her older age.
The episode also featured an appearance by Rumer Willis, Amber Rose and former NFL player DeAndre Levy.
Red Table Talk, a Facebook Watch show, is in its third season. In 2019, the hostesses won an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Host in a Talk or News/Information Series or Special Individual or Ensemble.
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