Jada Pinkett-Smith recently opened up about the significant impact the widely publicized Oscars incident had on her long-standing marriage to Will Smith. In a detailed interview with the Daily Mail, she shared insights into the deep and complex nature of their relationship following the event.
The 2022 Oscars ceremony became a pivotal moment for the couple when Will Smith, nominated for Best Actor, confronted comedian Chris Rock on stage after a joke about Pinkett-Smith’s shaved head. Smith’s heated response, “Keep my wife’s name out of your f****** mouth!”, occurred in front of an international audience and marked a transformative phase in their marriage.
Pinkett-Smith now describes the incident as the ‘holy slap,’ acknowledging the subsequent positive developments in their relationship. She mentioned that she almost skipped the Oscars that year but now sees the value in attending. “I call it the ‘holy slap’ now because so many positive things came after it,” she said.
Their marriage, spanning nearly three decades, has experienced various challenges. Pinkett-Smith and Will Smith had been living separately for over six years, with Pinkett-Smith moving from their shared Calabasas home to a new residence. Reflecting on this period, Pinkett-Smith noted, “That moment of the s*** hitting the fan is when you see where you are. After all those years trying to figure out if I would leave Will’s side, it took that slap for me to see I will never leave him.”
The couple’s challenges were further highlighted in a July 2020 podcast, where Pinkett-Smith disclosed her ‘entanglement’ with musician August Alsina, offering the public a glimpse into their complex dynamic.
In her memoir, “Worthy,” Pinkett-Smith explores her life’s challenges, ranging from her turbulent teenage years involving drug dealing to the fluctuations of her Hollywood career and her mental health struggles. She recounted a particularly difficult period where she contemplated suicide, a revelation that was shocking to both her friends and Will Smith.
Pinkett-Smith also discussed the transformative effect of plant therapy, particularly her experiences with ayahuasca, on her life. She spoke about her family’s collective experience with the plant and her ongoing spiritual journey.
Despite their fame and wealth, Pinkett-Smith stressed the need to redefine these concepts in terms of the soul. She has embraced a more introspective lifestyle, often eschewing traditional definitions of success for a simpler, more meaningful existence.
