With just days to the release of her new memoir on Oct 17, 2023, Jada Pinkett Smith is already grabbing headlines with an explosive revelation: she and her husband Will Smith separated in 2016.
During a recent sitdown with journalist Hoda Kotb, Jada Pinkett Smith, 52, disclosed some secrets revealed in her latest book, “Worthy”, including her separation from Smith.
“We live separately,” she said.
Jada Smith also confirmed that they didn’t legally end their union but it was still a “divorce”, adding that they continued to act like a couple for years even though they weren’t.
“[We were] still trying to figure out between the two of us how to be in partnership…and in regards to how do we present that to people? We hadn’t figured that out,” she disclosed.
Pinkett Smith and Smith, 55, got married in 1997 and share two children together, Jaden and Willow. Will Smith also has another son – Trey – with Sheree Zampino.
Breaking down the issues further during the chat with Hoda Kotb, Jada Pinkett Smith added:
“Why [the relationship] fractured…that — that’s a lot of things … By the time we got to 2016, we were just exhausted with trying. I think we were both kind of just still stuck in our fantasy of what we thought the other person should be.”
She also said:
“I made a promise that there will never be a reason for us to get a divorce. We will work through … whatever. I just haven’t been able to break that promise.”
Jada also touched on the crazy slap incident during the 2022 Academy Awards when Will slapped Chris Rock for making a controversial joke about her.
“I thought, ‘This is a skit.’ I was like, ‘There’s no way that Will hit him.’ It wasn’t until Will started to walk back to his chair that I even realized it wasn’t a skit.”
The actress and producer recently took delivery of the first five copies of her long-awaited book surrounded by Will Smith and other family members.
In an Instagram post on Sunday, Oct. 1, 2023, the philanthropist pulled out copies of the book from a delivery box amid congratulatory comments and applause from her husband, Will Smith, her kids and her mom.
Her full conversation with Hoda Kotb will air on NBC on Friday, Oct. 13) at 8/7c.
