Will Smith Wrote a Heartfelt Letter to Jada Pinkett Smith after Reading about Their Split in Her Memoir

• Will Smith's wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, said they have been separated for years.
• The actress opened up about intimate and shocking details about her marriage to Will.
• Will broke his silence for the first time since his wife's revelation about their relationship.

Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith married on December 31, 1997. The couple welcomed two children, Jaden, 25, and Willow, 23, during their union. However, Will and his ex-wife, Sheree Zampino, also have another older son, Trey, 30.

During her Jay Shetty Podcast appearance, the star revealed that she was 23 when she and Will started dating. She felt they were young and practically babies when they committed to each other and tried figuring out marriage.

Will was 29, and Jada was 26 when they tied the knot in front of around 100 guests. Jada has since written a book that gave some shocking revelations about the status of her marriage to Will. The two stars' union has experienced challenges that led them to make a tough decision.

What Did Jada Say about Her Marriage to Will?

While recently promoting her new memoir "Worthy," during her interviews, she answered questions that set the record straight on her marriage to Will. The two are among Hollywood's power couples and have weathered ups and downs since marriage.

While speaking to Hoda Kotb on "Today" in an NBC primetime special, Jada revealed she and Will have been separated since 2016. The mother of two said the couple had been living completely separate lives close to 20 years after they exchanged vows.

As much as Jada and Will are legally married, they haven't been romantically involved since 2016. However, in public, they denied the rumors. In 2017, the actress told Andy Cohen that they'd been together for 23 years and received applause.

When asked how she kept their marriage "hot," the celebrity struggled to find an answer. For years afterward, they continued pretending to be a happily married couple, even when they faced a scandal about Jada having an "entanglement" with a family friend.

Jada agreed that their separation isn't a divorce on paper but is technically still a divorce. The actress said the two kept their separation private because they were trying to figure out how to remain in a partnership. From the start, Jada and Will had agreed to have a partnership in their marriage and be transparent with each other.

The 52-year-old also confessed that she was surprised when Will slapped Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscars when the comedian made fun of her bald head. The actress was mainly shocked when Will referred to her as his wife since they hadn't called each other wife and husband in a long time. Jada, who suffers from alopecia, was also really worried about Will after the incident.

Jada was so touched by Will's letter and said his words were so beautiful.

On why she and Will haven't divorced despite being separated since 2016, Jada disclosed that when she and the actor got married, they agreed that there would never be a reason for them to divorce, no matter what happens between them. The couple decided to figure out whatever challenges they faced to avoid divorcing.

Since divorce was ruled out, the two also agreed not to have a prenup. However, in 2016, Jada and Will chose to separate because they were exhausted from trying to make things work. Jada shared during her "Today" appearance that the difficult journey they've been on has brought them together in an "authentic way."

She felt they'd stopped trying to be a thing and tore it all down to find what was true between them. Jada admitted that the journey has been beautiful but also challenging. The actress said she and her husband didn't open up about their separation because they needed to figure out what they wanted before going public.

Jada revealed that she told the truth about the state of their marriage because she and Will are now "solid." Will has also spoken out about his wife's memoir. He sent her a letter during one of her interviews.

The actor also reacted on social media for the first time after Jada revealed that the two hadn't been husband and wife in a long time. While on her book tour, Will also made a surprise appearance and spoke to the crowd about their relationship.

Will's Reactions to Jada's Memoir and Revelations

Will wrote a letter congratulating Jada for her memoir. He welcomed the actress to the authors' club and said her memoir left him with a mix of feelings. "I still found myself shocked and stunned and caught off guard, laughing, then inspired, then heartbroken. I was all over the place," Will wrote.

Will also said reading his wife's memoir woke him up to how she'd lived on the edge more than he'd realized and that she was more "resilient, clever, and compassionate" than he understood. The star said an emotional blindness had set in between him and his wife because they'd been together for more than half of his life.

He felt it was easy to lose sensitivity to the other person's "hidden nuances" and "subtle beauties." Jada confirmed that she and her husband failed to see each other in their relationship, but separating allowed them that insight and eventually led them back.

The actress also faced suicidal thoughts when she mulled over the idea of her husband and children being better off without her. The "Red Table Talk" co-host shared how everyone knew she was unhappy but couldn't understand why, but it was all a mental health issue.

In his letter, Will praised Jada, calling her a one-of-a-kind and a "rare blend of power and delicate sensitivity." Will applauded and honored the actress for going deep within her to bring out the emotional words in her book. He ended the letter by telling Jada he loved her "endlessly."

Jada was so touched by Will's letter and said his words were so beautiful. "That's why I can't divorce that joker," the actress said hilariously. Will has also reacted for the first time since Jada dropped the bombshell news that she and the actor have been separated since 2016.

Will shared a video on Instagram captioned "Notifications off :)." In the video, he wrote that one fun fact about him is that he can nap anywhere at any moment. The actor could be seen sleeping on a boat in the open sea and then waking up and shaking his head at the person who recorded the video.

As they've always done all these years, the pair presented a united front at Jada's recent book signing. While in a Baltimore library to promote her book, Will joined his wife on stage and addressed their marriage situation, saying:

"Sloppy public experiment in unconditional love."

However, he further admitted that he was "happier" than he'd ever been in his whole life. While holding her with one arm, Will questioned if people could love one person and show up for them for the rest of their lives even when they disagreed with them.

The "Men In Black" star said Jada is the "best friend" he's ever had and vowed to show up and support the actress for the rest of his life. Will and Jada kept their separation private, and the actress believed she wouldn't find another great love. Jada revealed that she and Will are focused on healing their relationship.

Jada acknowledged coming into her marriage with specific ideas that acted as blocks in her seeing her husband for who he is. The celebrity said divorce still isn't an option as they are working hard on bringing their marriage back together, giving their fans hope.