Jada Pinkett Smith Makes First Public Appearance Since Will Smith Was Banned from the Oscars

The actress joined friends Shonda Rhimes and Debbie Allen in Los Angeles on Saturday to celebrate the grand opening of the Rhimes Performing Arts Center

Photo: Matt Baron/Shutterstock

Jada Pinkett Smith has made her first public appearance since her husband Will Smith was banned from the Oscars for slapping Chris Rock at the 94th Academy Awards.

The actress joined friends Shonda Rhimes and Debbie Allen in Los Angeles on Saturday to celebrate the grand opening of the Rhimes Performing Arts Center, which will serve as the home for the new Debbie Allen Dance Academy.

Inside the new 24,000-square ft. space is a studio named after the Smiths, according to Broadway World.

In addition to posing with Rhimes, 52, and Allen, 72, Pinkett Smith, 50, also took photos with Samuel L. Jackson and his wife LaTanya Richardson Jackson.

Pinkett Smith wore a glittering gold, strapless dress for the occasion, pairing the garment with gold earrings and a pair of gold heels.

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Saturday marked Pinkett Smith's first public appearance since Smith, 53, struck Rock, 47, at the 2022 Academy Awards two weeks ago (apart from the after party). Smith took issue with a joke Rock made about Pinkett Smith potentially being in a G.I. Jane sequel, in reference to her shaved head.

The Red Table Talk host has been open about life after being diagnosed with alopecia, a condition that causes hair loss.

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Smith apologized to the Academy for his actions, which included him yelling "Keep my wife's name out your f—ing mouth!" from his seat, while accepting the best actor award later that night and again after the show.

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However, Smith resigned from the Academy on April 1, five days after the on-stage altercation. One week later, the Academy banned Smith from attending the Oscars ceremony for the next 10 years.

For more on Will Smith's 10-year Academy ban, listen below to our daily podcast PEOPLE Every Day.

On Monday, Rock's brother Kenny told the Los Angeles Times that his brother wasn't aware of Pinkett Smith's condition prior to cracking the joke.

"The joke was funny. It wasn't hilarious funny, but I know that if he knew that she had alopecia ... he wouldn't make a joke about that," said Kenny, 42. "But he didn't know."

On seeing his sibling being hit on live television, Kenny told the Times, "It eats at me watching it over and over again because you've seen a loved one being attacked and there's nothing you can do about it."