Jada Pinkett Smith reveals she and Will Smith have been separated since 2016

Jada Pinkett Smith has disclosed that she and her husband, Will Smith, have been leading separate lives since 2016. In a preview of her upcoming NBC News primetime special with Hoda Kotb, Pinkett Smith revealed that they had not previously made their separation public because they were not prepared to do so. She explained that they were still in the process of figuring out how to navigate their partnership and had not yet determined how to present their situation to the public. Pinkett Smith, aged 52, and Smith, aged 55, have been married since 1997 and are not legally divorced. Their marriage has faced scrutiny during the period of their separation. In July 2020, singer August Alsina revealed that he had been involved romantically with Pinkett Smith, a claim she confirmed during an episode of "Red Table Talk" with her husband. Pinkett Smith referred to their involvement as an "entanglement" and explained that it occurred during a challenging time in their relationship. Additionally, during the 2022 Academy Awards, Smith confronted presenter Chris Rock on stage and slapped him after he made a joke about Pinkett Smith's baldness, which is a result of her alopecia condition.In a recent interview with People, Pinkett Smith discussed the incident, which she initially believed to be a comedic skit between the two men, much like many others. It was only when Will began to walk back to his chair that she realized it was not a skit.

Once they were alone, she immediately asked Smith if he was alright. Pinkett Smith explained to the publication that the breakdown of their marriage was due to various factors.

By 2016, both Pinkett Smith and Smith were exhausted from their efforts to make the relationship work. They were both still holding onto their idealized versions of each other, which contributed to the fracture in their marriage.

Pinkett Smith made a promise to herself and Smith that they would never have a reason to divorce, and she has been unable to break that promise.

In her upcoming memoir, "Worthy," Pinkett Smith delves further into her marriage, career, and early life. The book is set to be released on October 17th.Will Smith, Jada Pinkett Smith, and Chris Rock were previously close acquaintances until March 27, 2022, when an unfortunate incident occurred during the 94th Academy Awards. This incident involved Smith slapping Rock, resulting in a highly publicized spectacle that generated significant discussion on social media for several months.

During the awards ceremony, Rock was presenting an award when he made a joke about Pinkett Smith, who has a shaved head due to the autoimmune condition alopecia. This remark prompted Smith to approach the stage and physically strike Rock in the face, an act witnessed by the live television audience.

Upon returning to his seat, Smith expressed his frustration by uttering an expletive, which was subsequently censored for the American viewers. He then sternly warned Rock to refrain from mentioning his wife's name. Following this incident, Rock regained his composure and humorously remarked, "That was the greatest night in the history of television," before proceeding to present the award for best documentary feature.

In the aftermath of the incident, Will Smith has since issued an apology for his actions, while Jada Pinkett Smith addressed the matter in an interview with People magazine, published on October 11. She initially believed the incident to be a scripted skit, stating, "I thought, 'This is a skit.' I was like, 'There's no way that Will hit him.' It wasn't until Will started to walk back to his chair that I even realized it wasn't a skit."

This shocking incident has become a significant event in the history between Rock and Smith, whose relationship dates back to their initial collaboration in the 1990s. To gain a better understanding of the context surrounding the altercation and the timeline of their acquaintance, continue reading.