In a candid and revealing interview on a prime-time special for Today, Jada Pinkett Smith addressed the swirling rumors regarding her husband, Will Smith's sexuality, and shared insights into her deeply personal struggles.
The Red Table Talk host, 52, has been in the limelight alongside her husband for over two decades. Together, they've faced numerous rumors and speculations.
In her conversation with host Hoda Kotb, Jada tackled some of the most persistent ones head-on. “A million things were out there,” she said, addressing whispers of their supposed open marriage, swinger rumors, and questions about Will's sexuality. “I mean, none of that’s true. I can understand why there’d be misunderstandings,” she affirmed.
However, the revelations didn't stop there. The Worthy author also admitted that she and the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air star have been living separately for more than seven years, despite their public appearances.
Jada shares intimate details of her relationship with Will:“We live separately,” she acknowledged. She recalled their decision to split in 2016, citing the exhaustion of trying to make their relationship work. Jada expressed the difficulty both faced as they tried to align their expectations and reality, stating, “I think we were both kind of just still stuck in our fantasy of what we thought the other person should be.”
Their separation was kept a secret even during tumultuous times, like when rumors about her relationship with family friend August Alsina emerged. Jada confirmed her "entanglement" with August on her Red Table Talk show in 2021, emphasizing that she and Will were separated during that time.
Reflecting on the controversial 2022 Academy Awards incident where Will confronted comedian Chris Rock for a joke about Jada's alopecia condition, Jada shared their healing journey. “These kinds of moments can do two things. They can amplify love, or they can really make you bitter, angry, resentful,” she said. “We’ve chosen to really look at this moment and heal.”
Delving further into her personal life, Jada opened up about her battles with depression during her 40s, revealing that she had even battled with suicidal ideations.
Her haunting admission: “You start to think that everybody’s better without you,” resonates with many battling mental health issues. In her journey to cope, Jada turned to Ayahuasca, a plant-based psychedelic, which she credited with giving her a newfound sense of freedom and lifting the "veil" of her depression.
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