Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith Smith Opens a New Window. s 20-plus years of marriage have outlasted many Hollywood relationships since the pair exchanged vows in 1997. The couple seem as though they 've figured out the magic formula to keeping the spark alive even if they had to address rumors throughout their two decades together. Scroll through to see what they 've said about their marriage!
Setting the Record Straight
After a tabloid reported that the A-list couple were secretly separated after almost 14 years of marriage, the pair told Us Weekly in a joint statement in August 2011, Although we are reluctant to respond to these types of press reports, the rumors circulating about our relationship are completely false. We are still together, and our marriage is intact.
Twisted Woods
The Girl's Trip actress addressed the long-running rumors that she and her husband had an open marriage by making a controversial comment during an interview with HuffPost Live in April 2013 that confused the masses even more: "I think that people get that idea because Will and I are very relaxed with one another. But I've always told Will: You can do whatever you want as long as you can look at yourself in the mirror and be OK.
Marriage, Their Way
After Pinkett Smith's choice of words only fueled speculation that the Smiths had an open marriage, she attempted to clarify her comments in a lengthy Facebook post later that month. "Here is how I will change my statement' Will and I BOTH can do WHATEVER we want, because we TRUST each other to do so," she wrote. This does NOT mean we have an open relationship this means we have a GROWN one."
One Condition
The Gotham actress reiterated her commitment to her husband in June 2013, saying that there is nothing the Fresh Prince of Bel Air star could do to make her not love or abandon him ” except, she explained, If he did something bad to the kids” now we've got a problem."
Hollywood Royalty
The rumor mill went into overdrive in August 2015, after false reports claimed that the Smiths were splitting up after 17 years of marriage. The summertime rapper felt compelled to address them on Facebook in August 2015: "Under normal circumstances, I don't usually respond to foolishness (Because it's contagious). But, so many people have extended me their 'deepest condolences' that I figured 'What the hell I can be foolish, too! So, in the interest of redundant, repetitious, over & over-again-ness¦ Jada and I 'm NOT GETTING A DIVORCE!!!!!!!!!!!!!" He concluded his statement by promising his fans that if he was to ever divorce her Queen, they would find out from him directly and not through the media. The Red Table Talk host later tweeted, My King has spoken.
Counting the Ways
On Pinkett Smith's birthday in September 2015, the Independence Day actor shared a throwback photo of the couple with a sweet note about their relationship on Facebook. "This was taken at your mom's house 20 years ago. That's a long time ago!!! I have sung happy birthday to you 20 times and I have bought you 19 birthday presents. (I was mad that one year). I have watched you blow out 693 candles (737 after tonite). I've told you 'I love you' at least 8,285 times, Smith wrote. And of the nearly 3.96 Billion women on the planet – there is only 1 that I want to spend the rest of my life with. Happy Birthday, my Love!"
Keeping It Real
Two months later, the Bad Boys actor spoke candidly in a November 2015 interview with Entertainment Tonight about his relationship, revealing that marriage was the most difficult, grueling, excruciating thing that we have ever taken on in our lives. And you know we're just not quitters. He also offered a piece of advice: If there is a secret I would say it is that we never went into working on our relationship. We only ever worked on ourselves individually ” and then presented ourselves to one another better than we were previously.
Still in Sync
The Set It Off actress appeared on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen in July 2017, where she addressed rumors that she and the Focus star were swingers. The craziest rumor? That Will and I are swingers. That's the craziest one. It's constant, she said, before joking, And I'm like, Yo, I wish! She also shared some insight into how the couple of two decades manage to keep it hot I really think that Will and I just have amazing chemistry on a lot of different levels. We love to laugh together, we love to learn together, and we just love each other. We just have a good time together. Yeah, I guess that's the secret. Yeah, we just really like each other!
Lessons in Love
In January 2018, the Pursuit of Happyness star penned a touching tribute to his wife on their wedding anniversary, listing all of the things he learned throughout their marriage. Love is Like Gardening... I have learned to focus on HELPING you to BLOSSOM into what YOU want to be (into what you were born to be)... Rather than Demanding that you become what my Fragile Ego needs you to be, he wrote. I've learned to take pleasure in Nourishing YOUR dreams... Rather than wrestling with you to Fulfill my Selfish Needs & Satiate My Insecurities. I have learned that Love is Listening. Love is Giving, Smith continued before adding, Happy Anniversary, My Queen! I am forever Devoted to Nurturing your Deepest Truth.
Unbreakable
Pinkett Smith made it clear that she and the Bright actor were stronger than ever in June 2018. Here's the thing about Will and I [we] are family. That is never going down, Jada said while appearing on Sway's Universe. We are family. Take out all that whole marriage/ relationship crap, at the end of the day, Will and I are family. I am going to hold him down, doesn't matter. All that relationship and what people think ideas of a husband, partner and all that, man, whatever. At the end of the day, that is a man that can rely on me for the rest of his life, period.
Wise Words
Jada spoke candidly about marriage and relationships in an emotional Instagram post in August 2018. I've been watching a lot marriages dissolve around me, she wrote alongside a happy family photo with husband Will Smith. It's been really painful. Marriages change. Sometimes they need to be reimagined and transformed. Sometimes they are simply over ... but either way, I pray that folks going thru this painful transition find the patience and the love within to not throw the 'babies' out with the bath water. #family
Rebuilding Their Relationship
Smith admitted during an October 2018 appearance on Red Table Talk that his wife didn't want the life he built for them at one point during their marriage. To have to let go of the picture, to have to let go of the dream was devastating. We essentially had to destroy our marriage, he confessed. Despite their struggles, both Smith and Pinkett Smith said divorce was never an option for them during the episode.
Because I had been divorced before, I wasn't getting divorced again. Divorce wasn't an option, the actor confessed. I was devastated even worse than a divorce. We broke up within our marriage and got back together again. We had to rebuild with new rules and something way, completely different.