Jada Pinkett Smith revealed details about her relationship with Will Smith in an exclusive peek of her NBC News primetime special with Hoda Kotb.
The show, which will premiere on October 13, delves into their marriage, which has left them living “completely separate lives” since 2016, over two decades after their 1997 wedding.
Pinkett Smith, who discusses their romance in her upcoming memoir “Worthy,” says they are no longer romantically involved but are still legally married.
When Kotb questioned Pinkett Smith about why they hadn’t revealed their relationship status sooner, the actress replied that they were “just not ready yet” and were still working out “how to be in partnership.” By 2016, the pair had endured hardships and were fatigued from attempting to meet each other’s expectations.
Though Pinkett Smith has explored a legal divorce, she has not followed through on it, vowing, “There will never be a reason for us to divorce.”
Their marriage has made headlines throughout the years, particularly Pinkett Smith’s “entanglement” with musician August Alsina, which they discussed in a 2020 Red Table Talk interview.
During the show, they revealed that they had been through a difficult phase before Pinkett Smith’s relationship with Alsina.
Will & Jada Pinkett Smith has two children, Jaden and Willow, and Will has a son named Trey from his previous marriage. Pinkett Smith’s memoir follows her journey from “the depths of suicidal depression to the heights of personal rediscovery and the celebration of authentic feminine power,” including her high school friendship with rapper Tupac Shakur.