The couple, who tied the knot in 1997, is still in the process of figuring out the future of their marriage. Pinkett Smith, 52, disclosed this unexpected news during an interview with People and delved into more details in a candid conversation with NBC News.
The Struggles Leading to Separation
During her interview with Hoda Kotb on the Today show, Pinkett Smith shed light on the reasons behind the breakdown of her marriage with Will, 55. She explained, “By the time we got to 2016, we were just exhausted with trying. I think we were both still stuck in our fantasy of what we thought the other person should be.”
In her book, Pinkett Smith likened their separation to a ‘divorce,’ even though they never filed any legal paperwork. She wrote, “It was not a divorce on paper. But it was a divorce.”
Pinkett Smith revealed that while she had contemplated a legal divorce, she could never bring herself to go through with it. She candidly admitted that she made a ‘promise’ to Smith never to give him a ‘reason’ to seek a divorce.
Living Separately and Working Through
During the Today show interview, Pinkett Smith confirmed that they indeed live separately. This living arrangement has been in place since 2016, a fact that remained unknown to the public until now.
Pinkett Smith noted that no permanent decisions about their marriage have been made. She explained that they are still in the process of figuring things out, saying, “We’ve been doing some really heavy-duty work together. We just got deep love for each other, and we are going to figure out what that looks like.”
She also commended her children, Jaden, Willow, and Trey, for standing by her during this challenging time in their relationship. She praised her children for their profound sense of self-acceptance and their unconditional love for both her and their father.
A Shock to the Public
Jada and Will’s separation has come as a shock to many because they had consistently denied rumours about their marriage. The couple maintained the appearance of a committed married couple, even in the public eye.
One of the most memorable moments linked to their separation was when Will slapped comedian Chris Rock at the Oscars in 2022. This incident occurred as a response to a joke made by Chris about Pinkett Smith’s bald hairstyle. It is worth noting that Will and Jada were separated at the time of this infamous event.
While the revelations about their separation are surprising, the couple continues to work through their relationship’s complexities.
