When it comes to celebrity couples that last, people tend to place them on pedestals. However, all relationships go through their ups and downs, and sometimes, the best marriage is one that requires a lot of work and understanding. For Jada Pinkett and Will Smith, that was most definitely the case. They do not have the typical love story that everyone expects. It’s an unusual tale of love and devotion, with an air of individualism.
Will Smith and Jada’s first meeting
The world works in mysterious ways, and so does attraction. Will Smith met Jada when she auditioned for his love interest in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. As all love stories go you might have assumed that was their destiny calling. However, Jada did not get the role. Later, Will saw her starring in A Different World, and he just had this “feeling” that they would hit it off. He asked around and managed to organize a meet and greet. As fate would have it, this was not the start of Jada and Will’s love story. That’s because Will ended up falling head over heels for his wingman’s date. Yes, that’s right, he fell for the woman who was dating the man who was meant to introduce him to Jada. This woman, Sheree Zampino, later became his first wife, and they had a son together.
A few years later, Jada and Will kept bumping into each other. Will once described this as their “near-misses.” At a dinner party with friends, they finally had a chance to connect. Neither of their partners was able to attend, so they had the freedom to talk all night. Although, Jada adamantly confirmed in a later interview that they did not have an affair.
They finally got together
Will Smith could not get Jada off his mind after the dinner party. He mentioned that he had an emotional breakdown when he realized that Sheree was not the right woman. However, he was not ready to call it off. Sheree, on the other hand, filed for divorce soon after. Will Smith and Jada eventually started dating. They described how it happened in an interview. Will said he had asked Jada “Are you seeing anybody? Uh, no … cool, you’re seeing me now.” Jada said while laughing, “My dumb a** was like, ‘OK!”
Their marriage and children
On December 31st, 1997, Will Smith and Jada got married. Although it wasn’t imbued with happiness in the way you expect, Jada took the term “gushing bride” to a new level. The thing was, Jada did not want to get married, she never had. But, she had just learned that she was pregnant. Her mother was very sure that they should get married, and Will was all for it.
“I cried all night long because I was pregnant, my life was never going to be the same,” said Jada. “I didn’t want to get married, I never wanted to be married, I didn’t want to have a wedding either. It was a horrible wedding. It was a mess.” She added, “I went crying down the freaking aisle. I cried the whole way.”
Jada and Will’s first child was born in the late 90s. They named their son Jaden Christopher Syre Smith, and he was born on July 8th, 1998. Willow Camille Reign Smith joined the family on 31 October 2000.
Read: 17 Celebrity Friendships That Stood the Test of Time
Married life with Will Smith and Jada
A rumor started that the couple have an open marriage agreement. Initially, this was denied in Jada’s interview with Huff Post in 2013. “I think that people get that idea because Will and I are very relaxed with one another,” said Jada. “But I’ve always told Will: ‘You can do whatever you want as long as you can look at yourself in the mirror and be OK.’” But in a 2021, GQ interview, Will Smith confirmed he and Jada have an open relationship.
In 2020, Jada affirmed the rumors that she was in a relationship with August Alsina. The affair took place 4.5 years ago while the couple were broken up.
Separation
Rumors were flying throughout their marriage. This was because Will Smith and Jada preferred to keep their relationship out of the headlines. People started talking about the couple being separated, which Will confirmed later on. “We decided we were going to separate for some time,” he said. “You go figure out how to make yourself happy and I’ll figure out how to make myself happy.”
Will went on to explain how he and Jada needed to work on themselves because they got married at such a young age. Will called this, “therapizing.” He said: “We came together young, and we were both broken in our ways, and to be able to make mistakes without the fear of losing your family is so critical.“
Luckily, Jada and Will were able to persevere through the dark times of their marriage. They say they have a deeper level of respect and unconditional love for each other because of it.
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Sources
- “Everything Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith Have Said About Their Marriage.” US Magazine. By Us Weekly Staff. July 29, 2022
- “The Complete Timeline of Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith’s Relationship.” Oprah Daily. Michelle Darisaw. March 28, 2022
- “Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith’s Relationship Timeline.” Brides. Heather Elitou. April 4, 2022.
- “Jada Pinkett Smith Admits Past Relationship With August Alsina, Says She and Will Were Separated” ET. July 10, 2020.
