In a recent interview, Jada Pinkett Smith revealed that she and her husband, Will Smith, have been living separately since 2016. Despite leading separate lives for seven years, they had kept this information private until now. Pinkett Smith admitted that they were both tired of trying to make the relationship work when they decided to separate. They continue to live apart but have no plans to divorce.
Pinkett Smith, aged 52, told NBC that she had made a personal commitment to herself to never get a divorce from Smith, who is 55. She explained that they both held onto unrealistic expectations of each other, which contributed to their difficulties. The interview coincides with the upcoming release of Pinkett Smith's memoir, "Worthy."
Last year, the couple made headlines when Will Smith slapped Oscars host Chris Rock on stage after Rock made a joke about Pinkett Smith's hair loss condition, alopecia.
In a separate interview with People, Pinkett Smith initially thought the incident at the Oscars was a planned joke. She stated that she will stand by her husband but also let him navigate the situation on his own.
Rumors about the state of their marriage began in 2020 when they discussed Pinkett Smith's "entanglement" with artist August Alsina on her Facebook show, Red Table Talk. The couple met in 1994 during Pinkett Smith's audition for Will Smith's show "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" and married in 1997. They have two children together, Jaden Smith and Willow Smith, in addition to Trey Smith, Will Smith's son from his first marriage to Sheree Zampino.