Will Smith and Wife Jada Were Living 'Separate Lives' for Years Before Oscars Slap, Source Claims
Will Smith and Jada Pinkett's marriage has been shrouded with rumors for years.
Sept. 17 2026, Published 6:29 p.m. ET
Will Smith and his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, had reportedly been drifting apart as a couple for years before their marriage was thrust back into the spotlight by an incident at the 2022 Oscars.
Ahead of the Red Table Talk host's 55th birthday on September 18, RadarOnline.com revisits her relationship with Will and the scandals surrounding their marriage.
Inside Will Smith and Jada Pinkett-Smith's Relationship
Will Smith and Jada Pinkett got married in 1997.
Will and Jada originally met on the set of his classic '90s sitcom, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. They began dating after his 1995 split from his first wife, Sheree Zampino. The exes welcomed their son, Willard Carroll "Trey" Smith III, prior to their split.
Two years later, Will popped the question to Jada in an unconventional way.
“We were just lying there, going to sleep,” the Men in Black actor told People at the time. “I looked over at her, and I said, ‘Hey, we might be real good married. Wassup? You wanna marry me?’ Unplanned. No ring. Not the classic proposal. She said yes. It's really weird when you live the kind of lifestyle that we live: Simplicity becomes the jewel.”
On December 31, 1997, Will and Jada tied the knot.
They share two kids: Jaden, 27, and Willow, 25.
Rumors of Infidelity
Will Smith and Jada Pinkett share two children.
As the years passed, their relationship was rocked by rumors of infidelity, talk of an open marriage or even a potential looming divorce.
In 2019, a source told Radar the pair had been "living separate lives for years."
During a 2020 episode of Red Table Talk, Jada admitted that she had an "entanglement" with a younger man named August Alsina in a period when they separated in 2016.
"I wasn't sure I was ever going to speak to you again," Will said at the time. "Like the fact that I'm speaking to you again is a miracle. (Marriage) ain't for the weak at heart. There's just certain things that you have to go through. I wish it could be all magic and miracles."
'Will Defended Jada'
Will Smith was 'humiliated' by Jada Pinkett's confession, according to a source.
Although Will and Jada were both participants in the candid conversation, an insider claimed the father-of-three was left embarrassed by the public confessions.
"Jada torched her marriage to the ground when she brought Will on Red Table Talk and publicly humiliated him in front of the world," the insider told Daily Mail.
"Will defended Jada against infidelity accusations at the time of the affair, and he would get into it with people," the insider continued. "He truly believed she hadn’t cheated. There was no walking back from that and Jada knew this too."
Will Smith Slapped Chris Rock Over Jada Pinkett Joke
Never Miss an
Daily updates from the heart of Hollywood, right to your inbox
By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you’re agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
Jada Pinkett-Smith has alopecia.
Their marriage was once again in the spotlight when Will slapped Chris Rock across the face on stage at the 2022 Academy Awards. The altercation occurred after Rock made a joke that drew attention to Jada's bald look.
The actress struggles with alopecia.
"Keep my wife's name out your f---ing mouth!" Will said at the time.
He later issued an apology condemning "violence in all of its forms."
"My behavior at last night's Academy Awards was unacceptable and inexcusable," he confessed. "Jokes at my expense are a part of the job, but a joke about Jada's medical condition was too much for me to bear and I reacted emotionally."
