Jada Pinkett Smith has been on a press tour for her new memoir “Worthy,” but what she told the “TODAY Show” about a seven-year secret has shocked everyone.
Pinkett Smith sat down with Hoda Kotb for an NBC News primetime special to talk about her new book and what led her to document her life. The interview will air on Oct. 13, but the “TODAY Show” gave fans a little snippet of what to expect. It is safe to say that no one expected what the “Set It Off” actor told Kotb about her marriage to Will Smith.
Trending Today:
In her memoir, Pinkett Smith explains that she and her husband have been separated for seven years. Summarizing the text, Kotb said, “In 2016, you and Will decided that you were going to live completely separate lives. It was not a divorce on paper, but it was a divorce.”
Even though Pinkett Smith and Smith are no longer together in their household, they have kept up the front of being a married couple in the public eye. The two went through some major controversies but never let up the façade they were together.
When asked why she and Smith decided not to come clean, Pinkett Smith said, “I think just not being ready yet.”
The actress continued, “Still trying to figure out between the two of us how to be in partnership, right, and in regards to how do we present that to people. And we hadn’t figured that out.”
Kotb asked Pinkett Smith why the relationship fractured, and she said it was a compilation of problems in their marriage. The “Girls Trip” actor said, “I think by the time we got to 2016, we were just exhausted with trying.”
She continued, “I think we were just both kinda still stuck in our fantasy of what we thought the other person should be.”
Pinkett Smith said she thought of going through a legal divorce, but something stopped her. She said, “I made a promise that there will never be a reason for us to get a divorce. We will work through whatever, and I just haven’t been able to break that promise.”
Fans watched a clip of the bombshell interview, and gave their two cents on how they felt about the infamous Hollywood couple.
“I’m tired of this couple. Everything about their relationship is just weird. Can they just wrap it up and get a divorce? Ngl, Will married the wrong person,” said one social media user.
“So Will Smith smacked the shit out of Chris Rock over this joke and is not even together with Jada Pinkett … this is embarrassing city boys down –1000,” added another.
Another user wrote, “They are a weird bunch but my question is why did he slap Chris Rock if this is the case? Also, I think this explains the rumors of him messing with Margot Robbie and her with that singer. Why not just fully separate and avoid this whole drama??”
They are a weird bunch but my question is why did he slap Chris Rock if this is the case? Also, I think this explains the rumors of him messing with Margot Robbie and her with that singer. Why not just fully separate and avoid this whole drama?? 😅
— Sports4natic 🍥 (@JG_MIA_305) October 11, 2023
The news made a lot of fans ask why the Smiths worked so hard to hide the truth, especially after what happened at the 2022 Oscars. As many will remember, Chris Rock made a joke about Pinkett Smith’s alopecia, and Smith took it personally, walking on stage and smacking Rock in the face.
Some people are questioning why Smith got that angry at the joke since he and Pinkett Smith were estranged. Others asked why the Oscar winner proceeded to yell, “Keep my wife’s name out ya f—in’ mouth,” if as Kotb shared, the Smiths haven’t called each other husband and wife in almost a decade.
Kotb said there will be much more about that situation and Pinkett Smith’s life in the Dateline interview that will be released later this week.
