Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith are one of the most famous couples in showbiz having been married for over 20 years.
Their relationship has seen many ups and downs.
Here is a timeline of their relationship over the years.
Will and Jada first met in 1994 on the set of the widely popular sitcom, The Fresh Prince of Bel Air.
The show was about to air its fifth season.
Jada auditioned for the role of Lisa Wilkes, Will’s girlfriend on the show.
The role however was given to Nia Long but that didn’t stop Will and Jada from connecting with each other.
Will told PEOPLE magazine in 2005 that they spent most of their first date talking naturally to each other.
He also said that he didn’t need to do a lot research online as he had seen her in television and movies.
They made their public debut appearance together walking down the red carpet for the premiere of Devil in a Blue Dress.
Jada accepted Will’s proposal in November 1997 and married privately on New Years Eve in Jada’s hometown of Baltimore, Maryland.
Their first child Jaden was born a year later and Willow arrived two years later in 2000.
Jada talked about her “open marriage” in 2013.
Many people see them as very settled together, and she emphasized the fact that Will could do anything unless his well being was in place.
In 2015, rumours of the couple’s divorce spread like wildfire, forcing Will to intervene on Facebook.
They celebrated their 20th wedding anniversary on December 31st 2017.
On his Instagram account, Will paid tribute to his wife by posting a statement about what he has learned since the life-changing day.
American rapper August Alsina claimed in 2020 to have a romantic affair with Jada.
Will and Jada discussed this a month later on Red Table Talk.
Jada said it started as a friendship and led to an entanglement, which led Will and Jada to separate.
Will and Jada reconciled after that where Will said it was a miracle she was speaking to her and reaching a new level of unconditional love.
In November 2021, Will was interviewed by Oprah Winfrey revealing a heated argument he had with Jada ten years prior.
This happened at Jada’s 40th birthday party, which Will spent years planning.
Jada denied these claims, saying that his efforts were a ludicrous display of his ego.
This argument was one of the most difficult phases of their marriage.
27th March 2022 was a very eventful day in Will’s life, more for the wrong reasons than right.
Will and Jada attended the 94th Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles California.
He was nominated for Best Actor in King Richard, playing the role of the father of two tennis greats, Serena and Venus Williams.
He won the Oscar that night but it was his altercation with comedian and host Chris Rock that made the headlines.
During the conversation, Chris jokingly pointed out Jada’s shaven head, a result of her alopecia condition, which she has been vocal about having hair loss.
Will wasn’t having it, he stepped up on stage and slapped Chris Rock, yelling at him explicitly once back in his seat.
The day after, Smith apologised to Chris, his fans, and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS).
He then resigned from AMPAS and the organisation banned him from attending any of their events for the next decade.
Jada discussed this incident months later on Red Table Talk hoping Will and Chris would make peace together.
A year later, she publicly revealed to PEOPLE that the slap was part of the show.
She also said during that same interview that Chris Rock once asked her out on a date.
Jada continued to discuss her separation from Will, stating that both were stuck in each other’s fantasies.
They also thought about what one or the other should be like.
She concluded that both would never break the promise of filing a divorce.
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