Jada Pinkett Smith and Will Smith Have Been Separated — for 7 Years
“Once I met Will, I completely abandoned my mental health,” she said. “He became the dr-g.”
Celebrity couple Jada Pinkett Smith and Will Smith have notoriously made headlines throughout their marriage, from unconventional themes like polyamory to defending your partner’s honor at the Oscars. But according to Pinkett-Smith, they weren’t actually a couple.
Following the release of her latest book, “Worthy,” Pinkett Smith details her marriage. For those unfamiliar, the couple quietly wed in 1997 when Pinkett Smith unexpectedly became pregnant with her son, Jaden Smith. The relationship was new for both of them as Will had recently divorced his ex-wife Sheree Zampino.
“Once I met Will, I completely abandoned my mental health,” she said. “I was so intoxicated by him and our dynamic. I really felt like I’m cured.” So she ceased taking her medication and “he became the drug.” For those interested in specifics: “He called Jada and asked, ‘Who are you going out with?’ Replying that she was single, Will declared: ‘Well, you’re going out with me now.’” Looking back, she said, “Can you believe I fell for that?” And that’s how their journey began.
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Flash forward to the 2022 Oscars, Will slaps Chris Rock after commenting on Pinkett Smith’s battle with alopecia. The moment was so unbelievable, she thought it was a skit at first, she said — right before dropping the news that they were separated for six years at the time. The couple went as far as discussing the moment on Pinkett Smith’s viral show Red Table Talk, but never dove into those details. They’ve also discussed Pinkett Smith’s polyamorous relationship with musician August Alsina, but never about separation. “We’re still figuring it out,” she said. “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 for us.”
For Will, the moment resulted in a 10-year ban from Academy Awards events – and an incessant amount of memes, too. Following the slap, he released a statement on the matter. ”Violence in all of its forms is poisonous and destructive. My behavior at last night’s Academy Awards was unacceptable and inexcusable. Jokes at my expense are a part of the job, but a joke about Jada’s medical condition was too much for me to bear and I reacted emotionally.”
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