In 2020, Jada Pinkett Smith admitted to an 'entanglement' with August Alsina. Here's what you don't remember.

In 2020, Jada Pinkett Smith and Will Smith addressed one of the biggest scandals they had faced to date: Pinkett Smith's rumoured affair with singer August Alsina.

In June of that year, 27-year-old Alsina made headlines after he claimed that he and the actress were previously in a relationship, with her husband's "blessing".

"He [Will] gave me his blessing, and I totally gave myself to that relationship for years of my life, and I truly and really, really deeply love and have a ton of love for her," he said in a YouTube interview.

"I actually sat down with Will and had a conversation due to the transformation from their marriage to life partnership that they've spoken on several times and it not involving romanticism. I have lost money, friendships, relationships behind it, and I think it is because people don’t necessarily know the truth. But I have never done anything wrong."

Initially, reps for Pinkett Smith said these claims were "absolutely not true". But during an episode of Pinkett Smith's Facebook Watch show, Red Table Talk, the Smiths shared their side of what happened.

Sitting across from each other at the red table that has become synonymous with airing the truth around celebrity scandals, Smith and Pinkett Smith both said they felt it was time to address "the very personal journey that became very public."

"One of the reasons I wanted to come to the table [was] the media, the headlines," Smith said. "We were purposely never saying anything. Coming to the table, we just felt like it got to the point where you gotta say something."

Pinkett Smith explained Alsina was introduced to their family as a friend of Jaden's. At the time, he was "really sick" and she provided him with mental health support and resources. 

Around the same time, Smith and Pinkett Smith had decided to amicably separate and, from there, Pinkett Smith became involved in an "entanglement" with Alsina.

Read more: The moment Jada Pinkett Smith and Will Smith's comeback became a PR disaster.

"Yes, it was a relationship absolutely. I just wanted to feel good. It had been so long since I felt good. And it was really a joy to help heal somebody. I think that has a lot to do with my codependency, needing to fix and being drawn to people who need help."

Pinkett Smith went on to share how her relationship with Alsina helped her confront her emotional immaturity and insecurity, which led to some "really deep healing" and, ultimately, the end of their relationship. 

Addressing her husband, she said, "As I came through and started to realise certain things about you and I, he decided to break all communication with me which was totally understandable. And I let that be and hadn't talked to him since, so it is a little weird that all this stuff is coming out now since this was several [years ago]."

She also clarified her relationship with Alsina was not an affair, and took place when she and Smith had effectively broken up.

"One thing I want to clean up… about you giving 'permission' which is... the only person that can give permission in that circumstance is myself... he wasn't a home wrecker," she said.

Smith added, "At that point, I was done with you."

Watch the full Red Table Talk video here. Post continues below.

Pinkett Smith isn't the only one to have been accused of infidelity in their relationship. In the past, rumours have circulated that Smith has also had affairs. 

While the couple claims there have never been infidelities between them, Pinkett Smith said on Red Table Talk in June 2019, “I’m asked a lot about, ‘Is there infidelity in your relationship with Will?’”

“And it’s like, ‘No, but there’ve been other betrayals of the heart that have been far bigger than I could even think in regards to an infidelity situation.

“When you talk about contempt, or resentment or neglect ― that can just tear your world apart.”

Pinkett Smith recently shared that she and Smith have been separated since 2016.

In an interview with The New York Times to promote her memoir, Jada revealed that for her 50th birthday, she "bought her own place, moving out of their Calabasas compound."

In another interview with TalkShopLive, the actress reiterated that she did not cheat on Smith.

"I just need people to know, okay, I did not cheat on Will Smith. No matter how sad he looked at that table," she said.

"And when you read this book, you will kind of get an understanding of why the 'Red Table' even happened in the first place."

This article was originally published on July 11, 2020, and has been updated since with new information.

Feature image: Getty.