Jada Pinkett Smith and her husband of 25 years, Will Smith, have faced many rumors in their marriage lives, from being in an open relationship to swingers and more. They’re often in the rumor mill for being divorced, but the two always shut down the claims, making everyone believe they’re one of Hollywood’s most lingering power couples.
But all the positive claims about them instantly changed when the talk show host revealed that she and the actor had been separated for seven years. So, why did Jada and Will choose to hide their separation? Let’s explore Jada’s recent controversial interview.
Why did Jada Pinkett Smith and Will Smith Hide their Separation?
In a clip from Jada’s upcoming interview with Hoda Kotb on NBC News special, she revealed that she and Will had been separated since 2016. She also said the same thing in an excerpt from her upcoming memoir, Worthy, via People, shutting down their fans’ hope that they’ve been living a happy married life.
The 52-year-old explained that “it wasn’t a divorce on paper” but still a divorce.
So, why did they hide their marriage status from the public? Jada revealed that she wasn’t ready to speak about it publicly yet. Despite being separated for more than half a decade, she continued that they were still figuring out how to be in partnership and how they would present it to the people if they ever announced their separation.
Jada also brushed on the infamous Oscar slap in 2022, where Will stormed the stage to slap Chris Rock after making a joke about his “wife.” At the time, they were there as a family, not as husbands and wives, resulting in an internal shift when she heard he called her his wife.
Jada continued that their separation resulted from “a lot of things.” When they finally decided to part ways in 2016, about 20 years after their marriage, they were exhausted from trying to get their relationship to work out.
“I think we were both kind of just still stuck in our fantasy of what we thought the other person should be,” she said.
And explaining why they never opted for divorce, the actress revealed she stuck to her promise that there would never be reason for her and Will to divorce. “I just haven’t been able to break that promise,” she continued.
Throwback to when Will Smith slapped Chris Rock at the Oscars.
– Jada and Will have been separated since 2016, What was the slap for then?pic.twitter.com/mKqJgxBN6b
— tooXclusive (@tooXclusive_com) October 11, 2023
Jada Pinkett Smith Controversial Interview Explained
It’s quite a surprise that Jada’s revelation about her and Will’s separation comes when her book is about to come out. The two have been embroiled in divorce rumors since time immemorial, but they have never spoken about it.
They often show a united front amid all the claims about their romance. So, is this controversial book a PR stunt? Sure, it’s maybe to promote her book, but it’s probably safe to assume that the answer to that is, perhaps. However, we can still credit Jada and say this is the right time for her to tell the truth. It’s also probably her way to avoid shocking many when they read Worthy as she details her life, from her relationship to her career and more.
#WillSmith and #JadaPinkettSmith have been separated since 2016.#Jada confession has not only exposed the cracks in their marriage, but also damaged Smith's reputation and image in Hollywood. pic.twitter.com/Xqj1vEbGGI
— OUT (@OUT_convo) October 12, 2023
But still, she can’t blame anyone for seeing it as publicity for her book to catch the public’s interest and end up buying and reading it. Another point is that Jada and Will aren’t lying when they repeatedly say they’re not getting a divorce. With Jada’s sworn promise about not divorcing, they’re possibly trying to make things work out despite being separated for years.
Jada’s interview with Kotb will air on Friday, October 13, at 8 p.m. ET/PT on NBC. Her memoir, alternatively, will hit the shelves on October 17.
