Jada Pinkett Smith Opens Up About Being Separated from Will Smith Since 2016

In a candid new interview, actress Jada Pinkett Smith has disclosed that she and her husband, Will Smith, have been living separately since 2016. While they had quietly led independent lives for seven years, the couple had refrained from publicly confirming their separation until now.

Pinkett Smith, 52, admitted in her conversation with NBC that by the time they decided to go their separate ways, they had become “exhausted with trying” to make their relationship work. Although they still live apart, they currently have no plans for divorce.

She further revealed her personal commitment to avoiding divorce, emphasizing that she and Smith, 55, had both clung to idealized notions of what they expected from each other. “I think we were both kind of just still stuck in our fantasy of what we thought the other person should be,” she shared. This revelation coincides with the impending release of Pinkett Smith’s memoir, “Worthy,” set to hit the shelves next week.

The couple garnered significant attention last year when Will Smith made headlines by storming the Oscars stage and slapping host Chris Rock after a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith being bald. The actress has been open about her struggle with alopecia, a condition that results in hair loss.

In a separate interview with People, Jada Pinkett Smith initially thought the incident was a planned comedic skit until her husband returned to his seat. She mentioned, “I’m going to be by his side but also allow him to have to figure this out for himself.”

Speculation about the state of their marriage had arisen in 2020 when the couple appeared on Jada Pinkett Smith’s Facebook show, “Red Table Talk,” and discussed her “entanglement” with artist August Alsina.

Jada Pinkett Smith and Will Smith first crossed paths in 1994 when she auditioned for his show “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.” They eventually tied the knot in 1997 and have two children together, Jaden Smith and Willow Smith, as well as Trey Smith, Will Smith’s son from his first marriage to Sheree Zampino.