Jada Pinkett Smith reveals the truth about her relationship with Will Smith.
In an exclusive clip from her upcoming NBC News primetime special with Hoda Kotb (to air October 13 at 8pm ET/PT on NBC), Pinkett Pinkett Smith confirmed to Hoda that there’s more to her marriage than she’s previously shared.
According to Pinkett Smith, she and Smith have been separated and living “totally separate lives” since 2016, nearly 20 years after they married in 1997.
Pinkett Smith details their relationship, including how it started and where it is now, in her upcoming memoir, “Worth It,” which is due out on October 17.
In a preview clip, Hoda asks Pinkett Smith for details about the marital revelations in her memoir, saying she was “most surprised” among the “many surprising things” about the book.
While the two are still legally married, Pinkett Smith explained to Kotb that she and Smith are no longer together romantically.
“This is not a divorce on paper,” Kotb clarified.
“Okay,” Pinkett Smith replied.
“…But this is a divorce,” Kotb continued.
“Divorce,” Pinkett Smith stressed.
When asked directly by Kotb why the couple hadn’t shared their relationship status before, Pinkett Smith said it came down to “not being ready yet…still trying to figure out what’s going on between the two of us.” Building partnerships… As for how do we show that to people? We haven’t figured it out yet.”
When asked by Kotb what led to the “breakup” of the relationship, Pinkett Smith replied:
“Why it broke… that – there were a lot of things… By 2016, we were exhausted. I think we were both still stuck in our fantasy of what we thought the other person should be,” she said.
Pinkett Smith added that although she have Although the divorce was considered legal, she was never able to complete it.
“I promise we will never have a reason to divorce. We will work it out…no matter what,” Pinkett Smith said. “I just couldn’t break that promise.”
Smith and Pinkett Smith’s long-standing relationship included headlines about Pinkett Smith’s “entanglement” with singer August Alsina and subsequent joint interview with Red Table Talk in 2020, as well as Smith’s Oscar appearance in 2022 Awards show host Chris Rock slapped Pinkett Smith in the face after making a joke about her hair. Smith also published a memoir in 2021 in which he talked about their marriage.
In a 2020 Red Table Talk interview, Smith and Pinkett Smith talked about their marriage, as well as Smith’s relationship — or, as she puts it, “entanglement” — with Alsina. At the time, Pinkett Smith confirmed that they were “going through a very difficult time” before her relationship with Alsina.
“I’m sick of your ass,” Smith joked in the episode.
“Yeah, you kicked me to the curb,” Pinkett Smith replied. “we broke up.”
We didn’t know until now that the couple never actually got back together.
Smith and Pinkett Smith have two children, son Jaden Smith, 24, and daughter Willow Smith, 21. The “The Pursuit” actor has a 29-year-old son named Trey from his first marriage to ex-wife Sheree Zampino.
In her memoir, Pinkett Smith details “the rollercoaster ride from the abyss of suicidal depression to personal rediscovery and celebration of true female power,” as well as her relationship with Her relationship with rapper Tupac Shakur. Met in high school.
During Hoda’s primetime interview with Pinkett Smith, she joined the Baltimore native for a special one-hour interview in her hometown. You can follow Today.com starting October 17 at 8 p.m. for immediate updates on the special episode.
