Will Smith Confirms the Rumors

Willard Carroll “Will” Smith, Jr. and Jada Koren Pinkett-Smith have spent more than 20 years as husband and wife. Mutually, they have established the reputation as one of Hollywood’s most solid couples. To the surprise of many, the “Fresh Prince of BelAir” star recently spoke out during an interview to discuss the true state of his marriage. The 53-year-old confirmed they have an open marriage and also admitted Jada has never believed in a conventional marriage.

Within their highly celebrated union, the couple, like many others, has experienced some rocky seasons. The “Focus” actor said there have been times when their marriage has died at points. Will acknowledged that many fans who watched the Red Table Talk might have believed Jada was “the only one engaging in other sexual relationships.” That is not the case. He explained that the two of them mutually agreed to engage in sexual relationships outside of their marriage.

The rapper revealed that he and Jada had endured intense arguments for years preceding their decision against monogamy, with things reaching a “breaking point”. Instead of giving up on each other, they found new ways to make things work. According to the “Bad Boys” actor, rather than calling it quits, couples must be willing to ride the waves because there will be stormy and flat days, and it is okay. The “Pursuit of Happyness” actor added:

Whatever you have will die, and you have to rebirth something new.

Even among rumors that they were headed for divorce, Jada said their marriage is stronger than ever. She credits their rebirth to the change in the way the couple views each other. Initially, according to the actress, there were “all of these rules” but as they continued in their relationship they got into a flow. Jada said at this stage of their relationship, her husband encompasses everything to her.  To simply call him “her husband” does not compare to what he means to her.

As she entered the union with the rapper over two decades ago, she had her own idea of what a husband should be. The singer said she was stuck there for a long time, but had to mature and expand that concept. Once that happened, an entirely new world opened up for them, and she began to “see her man in all of his glory.” The Set It Off actress said:

It is hard to love someone completely; it takes so much courage and strength.

The couple wed in 1997 and are the parents of three children. The oldest son, Willard “Trey” Smith III, is their son from Will’s previous marriage and they have two children from their current union, a son named Jaden and daughter Willow. Together, they founded the Will and Jada Smith Family Foundation, which is a charity organization with a focus on family support and inner-city youth. The organization has worked with non-profit organizations such as the Lupus Foundation of America and YouthBuild.

The Smith family has experienced huge success in the entertainment industry. In 2014, Forbes ranked Will the most bankable star worldwide. Jada has also experienced success as an actress, singer-songwriter, and businesswoman. Additionally, Jaden and Willow have both appeared in movies and are successful in other endeavors.

The I Am Legend actor and his wife are no strangers to rumors surrounding their marriage; from her husband being a homosexual to the couple having an open relationship. Jada responded very emphatically a few years ago to their relationship status by saying:

Will and I BOTH can do WHATEVER we want, because we TRUST each other to do so. This does NOT mean we have an open relationship, instead it means we have a GROWN one.

The celebrated rapper has no problem admitting their marriage has not always been golden glamour and red carpets. Their marriage has died on multiple occasions. Jada agreed and stated they were able to rebirth their union, not necessarily with conventional wisdom, but with the wisdom they have learned from being together so long.

Will stands by his and Jada’s decision to be open about their marital arrangements, despite the intense backlash and public scrutiny they have faced. The Hollywood couples claim they are happier than ever, and their union gets stronger every day.

by Cherese Jackson (Virginia)

Sources:

GQ: Introducing the Real Will Smith
Black Doctor: Will Smith: “My Marriage Had Died”

Image Credits:

Featured Image Courtesy of Walmart’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
Top Image Courtesy of Paul Williams’ Flickr Page – Creative Commons License