Jaden Smith is keeping calm and carrying on in the wake of his father, Will Smith, being barred from the Oscars for 10 years after he slapped Chris Rock at the Academy Awards. The young star, 23, was spotted enjoying the Coachella Music Festival on Saturday (April 16) with his new girlfriend Sab Zada. The couple held hands while making their way through the crowded masses in Indio, CA, keeping close on Day 2 of the desert extravaganza.
Jaden rocked a rainbow-colored vest and black T-shirt with faded denim jeans for the event, while his girlfriend was a Coachella vision in a pink crop top and flowing white dress. She added butterfly clips in her hair to really amp up the festive feeling. The lovely couple weren’t the only celebrities attending the concerts, as Kendall Jenner, Kylie Jenner and Hailey Baldwin were just a few of the other A-listers who were partying in the desert.
The Coachella outing for Jaden comes a few weeks after the Academy banned his father from the Oscar ceremonies for a decade, which came only days after Will had already resigned as a member of the Academy. In a statement obtained by HollywoodLife, the actor said he “betrayed the trust of the Academy” and is “heartbroken” over his actions. “The list of those I have hurt is long and includes Chris, his family, many of my dear friends and loved ones, all those in attendance, and global audiences at home,” the statement reads. “I betrayed the trust of the Academy. I deprived other nominees and winners of their opportunity to celebrate and be celebrated for their extraordinary work. I am heartbroken.”
The social media mea culpa came a day after Will apologized for his actions to his fellow nominees and the Academy during his Oscar acceptance speech, yet he didn’t mention Chris by name. Meanwhile, Chris — who is reportedly not pressing charges against Will at this time — has yet to make a statement on the incident.