Will Smith‘s former friend, Bilaal Salaam, is now facing another legal fight tied to the actor’s inner circle.
After recently suing the “Bad Boys” star’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, for causing him emotional distress, Salaam is now being sued by Will’s ex-wife, Sheree Zampino.
Zampino accuses him of spreading damaging false claims about her and is seeking more than $1 million as compensation.
According to court papers filed on May 27 in Los Angeles County, Zampino accused Salaam of slander, making “outrageously offensive, shocking, and hurtful statements” about her during an appearance on the YouTube show “Unwine with Tasha K.”
In the filing, she said Salaam falsely painted her as “promiscuous and sexually indiscriminate,” with the comments later spreading across social media.
The 58-year-old actress pointed to a teaser released on May 4 that reportedly read, “Exclusive: Bilaal claims Will Smith’s ex-wife Sheree Zampino was sleeping with everyone in [Hollywood]!!!” She added that Salaam continuously referred to her as a “whore” during the interview.
Zampino’s complaint also pointed out that Salaam either knew his statements were untrue or spoke with “reckless disregard as to their truth,” and believes that he is dragging her into his ongoing feud with Will.
“Plaintiff Sheree Zampino has been caught in the crossfire of Defendant Bilaal Salaam’s ongoing vendetta against her former husband, actor Will Smith,” the court document read, per PEOPLE Magazine.
As a result of the comments, Zampino noted that her reputation and emotional well-being suffered, leading her to seek damages in excess of $1 million.
Jada Pinkett’s Legal Battle Against Salaam Ended In Her Favor
Zampino’s lawsuit comes just days after Jada Pinkett Smith secured a legal win in her own dispute with Salaam.
According to The Blast, a court ordered Salaam to pay $32,836 in legal fees connected to his 2025 lawsuit against Jada, where he claimed she caused him emotional distress and threatened him.
The “Bad Moms” actress also successfully convinced the court to dismiss some of Salaam’s claims. In his court filings, Salaam alleged that the stress from their ongoing drama caused him to gain a significant amount of weight and even lose a romantic relationship.
He also said he feared for his safety after receiving threats from Jada’s family and friends, which led him to leave the United States for a period of time.
How Jada Pinkett Fired Back At Salaam’s Allegations
Following Salaam’s accusations, Pinkett quickly pushed back, insisting he has no evidence to back them up. As The Blast reported, Jada argued that Salaam failed to provide proof linking her to the emotional distress he said he experienced.
She explained that weight gain, the end of a relationship, and leaving the country were not enough to support such claims in court.
According to her legal argument, Salaam would need medical records or other independent evidence to back up his statements.
The ‘Girls Trip’ Actress Moved To Have The Case Thrown Out
Since Salaam first filed the case, Jada has continued to fight it. Back in February, The Blast reported that the “Red Table Talk” host asked the court to dismiss claims accusing her of being “verbally abusive.”
Her legal team argued that the lawsuit violated California’s anti-SLAPP law, which allows courts to quickly throw out weak cases tied to protected speech.
Her lawyers also pointed out that Salaam had previously given media interviews where he claimed, without proof, that he personally witnessed Will involved in sexual acts.
Jada described those statements as false and unsupported, arguing they were made to attract attention and target her family.
A Judge Also Ruled In Will Smith’s Favor In Separate Case
Jada is not the only member of the family to recently score a courtroom victory.
In a separate sexual harassment lawsuit filed against Will by violinist Brian Joseph, the actor also came out on top.
According to The Blast, a judge ruled on May 5 that Joseph’s complaint did not meet the legal standard for sexual harassment because it failed to show behavior that was “severe or pervasive.”
Joseph claimed Smith was grooming him for sexual activity and pointed to items allegedly left in his hotel room, including wipes, beer, HIV medication, and a note as proof.
However, the court found that Joseph could not show that only Smith or his team had access to the room, especially since he admitted leaving both his bag and room key with other crew members for several hours.
