Jada Pinkett Smith Is Finally Ready to Be 'Honest' about Her 'Complicated Marriage' with Will Smith

Will Smith and Jada Pinkett-Smith have been a Hollywood power couple for more than two decades, but their union has often hit the spotlight for the wrong reasons. Now, Jada has some plans to share her side of the story.

Will Smith and Jada Pinkett-Smith met on the set of "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air," in the early 90s. Jada had auditioned to play Will's girlfriend but was rejected because she was considered too short. Instead, the role went to Nia Long.

Will and Jada's story includes several near-miss moments, and the couple never had the perfect introduction they would have hoped for. Will recalled going to "A Different World" with his co-star Alphonso Riberio to search for Jada but got distracted by Sheree Fletcher Zampino.

Will dated and proposed to Zampino. The couple got married and welcomed their son, Trey. However, Will's old feelings for Jada resurfaced after he met her at a club in LA and realized he wanted to be with her.

The young actor did not believe in divorce and could not act on his feelings for Jada at the time. During an appearance on Jada's "Red Table Talk," Will recalled going to the bathroom to weep during a dinner date with Zampino.

He said, "I had a realization I wasn't with the person I was supposed to be with." Jada then clarified that they never had an affair while Will was married to Zampino. However, their romance began after Will's divorce.

Will divorced Zampino in 1995 and began dating Jada that same year. During one of their meetings, the actor recalled asking Jada, "Are you seeing anybody?" and when she said no, Will replied,

"Cool. You're seeing me now."

Now, Jada is going to be telling the world about their marriage in a tell-all memoir and many more details about their life together, their family, and their struggles.

Jada Sets Out to Talk about Her Marriage

While the couple may have become stronger temporarily after going through therapy and learning to communicate, their marriage is still far from perfect and is a topic often discussed among their fans.

Jada has recently announced that she will be releasing a book in which she will discuss her views on her marriage to Will. The press release for the book described it by saying:

“At the heart of this powerful book are two unexpected love stories, one being Jada’s complicated marriage to Will Smith, the other being the one with herself.

The book will not only detail Jada's "complicated" marriage to Will but also discuss Jada's upbringing and how that affected her views on life and relationships. The book is set to be released in the fall of 2023.

The announcement of Jada's book comes on the heels of the drama that played out at the 2022 Oscars when Will Smith slapped Chris Rock for making a joke about Jada's hair. The incident drew much attention, and many fans were disgusted by Will's behavior.

The pair were not seen together for a long time after the incident, as Jada expressed that she was not impressed by her husband's actions. While the Oscars were held in March, Jada and Will were not seen together until August.

The pair appeared to have moved past the debacle on stage at the Oscar's and Jada even held on to Will as they walked to their car. Will also interacted well with the paparazzi as they left an afternoon date at Nobu in California.

The sighting of the pair came a month after Will confirmed that Jada hadn't asked him to do anything when Chris Rock made a joke about Jada living with alopecia. He then apologized to his children and family.

Jada Was Crying Walking Down the Aisle at "Horrible" Wedding

Two years into their relationship, Jada realized she was pregnant and wanted her and Will to start a family without the traditional marriage and festivities. But her mother, Adrienne Banfield-Jones, strongly opposed her request.

Jada's mom said she had looked forward to being at her daughter's wedding and was against the young couple starting a family without walking down the aisle. Will, like Banfield-Jones, was in favor of a traditional wedding.

The "Bad Boys" actor loved the idea of being married and believed marriage made him a better man. But, for Jada, the idea of a "wife" was something she found uncomfortable. She gave in to Will's request for a wedding but later confessed that it was "horrible."

Will and Jada's 1997 wedding would have been glamorous except for the visible discomfort on the pregnant Jada's face. Attendees could see tears streaming down Jada's face as she walked down the aisle. The mom of two was suffering from the discomfort of early pregnancy.

That would not be the only compromise Jada would have to make for Will. Years after their marriage, the couple had an argument about moving into a larger home. Will had just purchased a massive 256-acre compound, which Jada was against.

Will succeeded in persuading the actress to move into their new home. He wrote about it, "Nothing good comes from spending your hard-earned money on a 'family home' that your wife doesn't want. You are putting a down payment on discord, and for years you will be paying off a mortgage of misery. Or, worse."

Will and Jada Could No Longer Pretend They Were in a Happy Marriage

Will and Jada's marriage has been far from perfect. The couple has clashed several times, and their frequent fights made them realize they were not happy in their marriage.

Will recalled an incident in which Jada cursed at him during a party while his son, Trey, was sitting on his lap. Will angrily hit Jada with a newspaper, explaining that he could not be with someone who cursed or used violence to express their emotions.

The "Men In Black" actor witnessed his father abuse his mother and was afraid such a scene would play out in his home. So, Will and Jada decided to learn to communicate their emotions respectfully.

The pair decided never to talk when angry. Will said they also took some classes on communication, which helped improve their marriage, albeit temporarily. The duo had many mountains to cross before finding perfect harmony.

Jada felt she always had to give in to Will's idea of a relationship and constantly despised hers. The couple had a massive disagreement in a hotel room in front of their daughter, which made them realize it was a "make it or break it" situation.

Will had just traced Jada's ancestry during the slave trade and found the family who owned her ancestors, but this gesture was not enough to impress his wife.

Will recalled them shouting and yelling at the top of their voices in disagreement. Their 10-year-old daughter, Willow, who shared the hotel suite with them, came out crying with her hands over her ears. Will wrote about the incident,

"Our marriage wasn't working. We could no longer pretend. We were both miserable and clearly, something had to change."

The moment proved helpful in steering Will and Jada to a path of mutual understanding. They became open to saving their marriage.

Will Gave a Blessing for Another Man to Date His Wife

Will and Jada made headlines in 2020 following the explosive revelations they made about their marriage on Jada's "Red Table Talk," where they clarified rumors of infidelity. Jada was spotted on a red carpet with a man, but her reps made light of the situation.

Jada was rumored to have dated singer August Alsina, and during the episode of the show, she held nothing back about their brief history. However, Will confirmed that they were separated when Jada's fling with August happened.

He said, "We decided that we were going to separate for a while and you go figure out how to make yourself happy, and I'll figure out how to make myself happy." Will further described that period by saying, "I was done with you."

Jada added that afterward, she got into an "entanglement" with August, who had earlier claimed that he had received Will's blessing to date Jada, but "The Matrix Revolutions" actress refuted such claims.

According to the mom of two, no one was in the position to give their blessing on who she dates. She said, "One thing I want to clean up…about you giving 'permission,' which is...the only person that can give permission in that circumstance is myself."

Jada confessed that while away from Will, she realized their true connection, and the more they reconnected, the more her relationship with August faded into thin air.

Will and Jada Gave Freedom to Each Other

Following the incident with August, Jada and Will decided to save their union by opting for an open marriage. The couple gave each other the freedom and support to be with other people and make themselves happy.

Jada had never believed in conventional marriages. She had people in her family who practiced polygamy and open marriages, and Will was open to her ideology in a bid to save their marriage.

The actor said, "marriage for us can't be a prison." Will further added, "The freedoms that we've given one another and the unconditional support, to me, is the highest definition of love."

Jada later released a Facebook post clarifying what they meant by an open relationship. The 50-year-old actress claimed they had a grown relationship rather than an open one. She wrote,

"Will and I BOTH can do WHATEVER we want because we TRUST each other to do so. This does NOT mean we have an open relationship...this means we have a GROWN one."

The Smiths Are Stronger than Ever

Will and Jada are not like most celebrities who prefer trashing their dirty laundries in private. The couple has bared it all to the media, and it is a deliberate attempt to stop rumors from flying about.

Will and Jada want to be in control of their narrative. The couple is glad that they put everything out there and have nothing to fear about being found out or exposed.

A source told US Weekly, "Will and Jada, at the end of the day, are like a normal couple who just happen to be glorified because they're famous. They have fought. They have reconciled. At the end of the day, they do love each other."

The source further added that Will and Jada's bond hasn't been affected by the dark side of their marriage. Instead, the couple is closer than ever and are committed to their children.