In a surprising revelation leading up to the release of her upcoming memoir, “Worthy,” on October 17, Jada Pinkett Smith has broken her silence on the Oscars incident involving her husband, Will Smith, and comedian Chris Rock.
The incident occurred 18 months ago when Will Smith slapped Chris Rock over a joke made about Jada’s shaved head. Pinkett Smith disclosed to People that she and her husband had been living apart for six years prior to the 2022 Oscars.
This revelation provides new insight into the couple’s relationship and adds context to the events that unfolded on that memorable evening.
On their marriage Pinkett Smith said “We’re still figuring it out.” Further she added “We’ve been doing some heavy-duty work together. We just got deep love for each other, and we are going to figure out what that looks like for us.”
In another clip from her upcoming interview with Hoda Kotb for “Jada’s Story—An NBC News Special,” scheduled to be broadcast on October 13, Jada Pinkett Smith expanded on her and Will Smith’s relationship.
She stated, “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.” Additionally, she confirmed, “We live separately.”
Pinkett Smith shared with People that she initially 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.” Her initial words to Smith once they were alone were, “Are you okay?”
Moments before Will Smith accepted the best-actor award for “King Richard” at the Oscars, the now-infamous incident unfolded, leading to his resignation from the Academy and a decade-long ban from attending the ceremony.
Jada Pinkett Smith, his wife, expressed her support for him, saying, “I’m going to be by his side, but also allow him to have to figure this out for himself.”
In the interview, Jada Pinkett Smith also offered insights into the challenges in their relationship, admitting, “Once I met Will, I completely abandoned my mental health. I was so intoxicated by him and our dynamic. I really felt like, I’m cured.” She revealed that she stopped taking Prozac, describing Will as “the drug.”
Will Smith had previously shared his perspective on their unconventional marriage in 2021, stating, “Jada never believed in conventional marriage… Jada had family members that had an unconventional relationship. So she grew up in a way that was very different than how I grew up. There were significant endless discussions about, what is relational perfection? What is the perfect way to interact as a couple? And for the large part of our relationship, monogamy was what we chose, not thinking of monogamy as the only relational perfection. We have given each other trust and freedom, with the belief that everybody has to find their own way. And marriage for us can’t be a prison. And I don’t suggest our road for anybody. I don’t suggest this road for anybody. But the experiences that the freedoms that we’ve given one another and the unconditional support, to me, is the highest definition of love.”