"I just wanted her to have a platform to tell her story. That’s it," Jada Pinkett Smith tells PEOPLE exclusively of Jordyn Woods appearing on Red Table Talk

“Jordyn really felt like it was the only safe place that she could do that interview,” Jada tells PEOPLE in this week’s cover story, in which she, Willow and Adrienne discuss their family’s bond.

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“It actually wasn’t something I wanted to do because it was very close [to home], but as time transpired, Jordyn was just like, ‘I really need you in this platform’ and Will [Smith] felt like it was supremely important. So I was like, okay let’s do it.”

Image zoom Jordyn Woods and Jada Pinkett Smith on Red Table Talk Red Table Talk

Woods’ father John was a sound engineer on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and the Smiths and Woods families have been longtime friends. As Jada said on the March 1 Red Table episode that featured an often-emotional Woods, “I’ve known Jordyn Woods her whole life.”

Watch the full episode of People Cover Story: Jada Pinkett Smith, Willow Smith and Adrienne Banfield Norris streaming now on PeopleTV.com, or download the PeopleTV app on your favorite device.

On the show, Woods opened up about the night of her alleged “hook-up” with Thompson — Khloé Kardashian’s ex and the father of her daughter, True — as well as the fallout from the ensuing public scandal. While Woods told Jada the pair shared a kiss, she denied she was “all over him,” as reports claimed.

For more about Jada Pinkett Smith and her family, pick up the latest issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands Friday.

Image zoom Will Smith and Jordyn Woods Jodryn Woods/Instagram

The appearance, which broke records as the most-viewed Facebook Original episode in its first 24 hours, helped humanize Woods and deepen the dialogue about the incident.