Jaden Smith Walks Away from Journalist Mid-Question After Mention of Kanye West: Watch the Video
- - Jaden Smith Walks Away from Journalist Mid-Question After Mention of Kanye West: Watch the Video
Michelle LeeFebruary 13, 2026 at 10:45 PM
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Jaden Smith at the Louis Vuitton Womenswear Fall/Winter 2026 show on March 10, 2025
Marc Piasecki/WireImage
An awkward interaction between Jaden Smith and a journalist from Complex is going viral
On Feb. 11, the musician attended the Coulda Been Love season 2 screening in Hollywood, Calif., where journalist Jillian Hardeman-Webb asked him about collaborating with footwear designer Steven Smith
In doing so, the journalist referenced Kanye West, with whom Steven worked until he was fired, prompting Jaden to walk away
Jaden Smith is setting his boundaries.
The musician and Christian Louboutin men's creative director, 27, had a strong reaction to a journalist's question after she mentioned Kanye West and his brand Yeezy during an interview at Druski's screening of Coulda Been Love season 2 on Wednesday, Feb. 11.
In an Instagram video shared by Complex, journalist Jillian Hardeman-Webb brought up the rapper through his association with footwear designer Steven Smith, who worked with West on Yeezy for eight years before he was fired in 2024.
Jaden Smith at the season 2 premiere of 'Coulda Been Love' where he walked out on an interview after mention of Kanye West
Jerritt Clark/Getty
Hardeman-Webb started off her question by saying, "I see that you're working with Steven Smith, who designed Yeezy footwear with Ye." After a brief pause, Hardeman-Webb continued, "What are y'all cooking up?"
At the mention of West, Jaden — who had been looking down prior — glanced up and walked away. Hardeman-Webb, who'd directed her microphone to Jaden's face, watched him continue down the carpet, then turned to the camera and said, "I guess we'll never find out."
The video has since gone viral with thousands of comments about the question as well as how both handled the situation.
PEOPLE reached out to a rep for Jaden but has not heard back.
The viral moment comes almost one month after West publicly addressed his history of making antisemitic remarks. The disgraced businessman apologized in an open letter titled "To Those I've Hurt," which appeared as a full-page advertisement (paid for by his Yeezy brand) in the Monday, Jan. 26, edition of The Wall Street Journal.
In the letter, West claimed bipolar disorder caused his erratic behavior and turn to antisemitism. The latter is what prompted sportswear company Adidas to end its partnership with Yeezy in 2022 after West threatened to go "death con 3 On JEWISH PEOPLE."
“I regret and am deeply mortified by my actions in that state, and am committed to accountability, treatment, and meaningful change. It does not excuse what I did, though. I am not a Nazi or an antisemite. I love Jewish people," he wrote.
West was a longtime collaborator of Steven's before firing him. The designer told Fast Company at the time of his firing in 2024 that he had felt West "lost his mind," adding, "The whole of Yeezy is circling the drain and this is just part of it. He has surrounded himself with toxic, C-grade losers.”
Jaden Smith attending the Christian Louboutin Spring/Summer 2026 show on October 2, 2025
River Callaway/WWD via Getty
Jaden was named a Christian Louboutin creative director in September 2025. A press release revealed that he would "oversee the creation of four collections annually across men’s shoes, leather goods, and accessories," in addition to helping develop the brand's visual and emotional identity across marketing campaigns, corresponding events and experiences.
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His debut menswear collection arrived during Paris Fashion Week in January, and his parents, Will and Jada Pinkett Smith, made a rare public outing at the event to support. Shortly after, a source told PEOPLE that the couple "were great" and had the best time on their trip.
"They drove around Paris and were very happy," the source shared. "They were all about this amazing, united family front to support Jaden and enjoy Fashion Week."
on People
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
