NEW YORK (AP) 鈥� Jada Pinkett Smith is feeling free these days. She鈥檚 no longer hiding that she's been separated from megastar husband Will Smith for seven years.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a weight off my shoulders, honestly,鈥� said Pinkett Smith whose new memoir, 鈥淲orthy,鈥� is out now. 鈥淓ver since the Oscars, it鈥檚 so interesting how such an intense event can bring you closer together, and I would say that after that, we really dove in and dug in and got to this beautiful place we are now.鈥�
The actor, , details her much-gossiped about marriage throughout the biography. Through the years, the couple has faced rumors 鈥� of having an open marriage, a swinging lifestyle and questions about their sexual orientations 鈥� all while wearing smiles, seemingly portraying a picture-perfect life.
The daytime Emmy award winner briefly thought about scrapping the project; she started writing the 400-plus page book, co-written with Mim Eichler Rivas, at the top of 2022. But after Will infamously slapped Chris Rock in real time during the Oscars over a joke about her shaved head, Pinkett Smith wondered if writing a book was the right choice.
鈥淭he only time I reconsidered possibly was after the Oscars鈥ecause I was like I can鈥檛 write a book and not talk about this piece,鈥� she told The Associated Press, admitting that she felt like the scapegoat for Will鈥檚 actions. 鈥淚t took me a while to figure that out.鈥�
While the Smiths鈥� marriage dynamic may still be confusing to some 鈥� they鈥檙e technically still married but have lived separate lives for years with divorce not an option 鈥� the 鈥淐ollateral鈥� actress says they鈥檙e working toward resolution.
鈥淲e love each other鈥e are figuring out right now as we speak, what that looks like for us. But there鈥檚 no being separated. There鈥檚 no, 鈥榳e鈥檙e going to get divorced,鈥欌�� she said. 鈥淚鈥檓 not giving up on that dude. And he鈥檚 not giving up on me鈥� So, let鈥檚 just stop and let鈥檚 get to this deep healing and figure this out.鈥�
With talent and serendipitous timing, the Baltimore native headed to Hollywood in the early 鈥�90s during a peak period where the industry was welcoming in young, Black actors and creatives. She eventually landed a role on 鈥淎 Different World,鈥� the 鈥淭he Cosby Show鈥�-spinoff which inspired a generation of young African Americans to pursue college educations, particularly at historically Black colleges and universities. She went on to star in films like 鈥淢enace II Society,鈥� 鈥淛ason鈥檚 Lyric,鈥� 鈥淪et It Off,鈥� 鈥淭he Nutty Professor鈥� and in 鈥淭he Matrix鈥� franchise.
Pinkett Smith says while her husband had aspirations to become a global, superstar actor, she didn鈥檛 share those same dreams which caused friction. While she considered how revealing intimate details to the world would further affect their family, it鈥檚 her story to tell 鈥� 鈥渂efore Jada Pinkett Smith, there was Jada Pinkett,鈥� she notes.
鈥淲ill completely understood that this was my point of view and that I had a right to talk about my point of view,鈥� Pinkett Smith said of her husband, on Sunday in reaction to the media frenzy the book has stirred. 鈥淲e鈥檙e even talking about writing a book called 鈥楧on鈥檛 Try This at Home鈥濃�� just talking step-by-step of where were our pitfalls and how we got through everything we鈥檝e gotten through.鈥�
In the Dey Street-HarperCollins book, Pinkett Smith intimately chronicles everything from childhood lessons learned while in her grandmother鈥檚 garden, navigating being the child of drug addicts, along with tales of dealing drugs as a teen and the consequences that followed. In another revelation, she describes contemplating taking her own life while crushed by depression during a midlife crisis after turning 40.
But the book also sheds light on her path to Hollywood, creative endeavors and her journey through motherhood with her two children with Will, Jaden and Willow, and her 鈥渂onus鈥� child Trey from Will鈥檚 first marriage. She details the unconventional freedoms she鈥檚 allowed the children to have that have drawn criticism at times. There are writing prompts in the memoir, encouraging readers to reflect on their own lives.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a bit of a 鈥楻ed Table Talk鈥� guidance page,鈥� she said with a huge laugh. 鈥淚 just wanted to give little breadcrumbs along the way, a bit of oxygen along the way, of like, I鈥檓 not just going to tell you that I got from point A to point B. But I just want to give you just a little bit of the method in which what got me there.鈥�
鈥淩ed Table Talk鈥� was the popular talk show broadcast on Facebook Live co-hosted by her, her mother Adrienne Banfield-Norris and Willow. On the show, they discussed intimate topics with guests and among themselves. In one of the most noted episodes, Jada and Will discussed what she called an 鈥渆ntanglement鈥� after R&B singer August Alsina revealed the relationship, causing the public to believe she had had an affair. Pictures of Will鈥檚 tired eyes and scruffy beard from that episode are frequently memed.
In the autobiography, Pinkett Smith also discusses her friendship with rap icon, actor and activist Tupac Shakur. She says there was a deep love between the two but maintain they never had a romantic feelings toward each other. They met in high school at Baltimore School for the Arts, and they both would grow up to navigate Hollywood and the trappings of fame. Shakur was killed in 1996.
Last month, , the last living suspect in the drive-by shooting. Davis has been charged with murder.
鈥淚鈥檓 glad that the arrest was made (of) this person we always knew was in the car with the person who shot 鈥橮ac. And I鈥檓 hoping we get more information,鈥� said Pinkett Smith. 鈥淚 want to know who called the hit.鈥�
The 52-year-old says she doesn鈥檛 suffer from depression or suicidal thoughts anymore, and she credits the controversial, plant-based psychedelic ayahuasca for her healing. Pinkett Smith says she鈥檚 learned to keep a positive mindset, supported by a daily routine that includes mediation, prayer, scripture readings from various religions and yoga.
Pinkett Smith has launched a 13-city 鈥淥ur Worthy Journey鈥� book tour with stops that include London, Abu Dhabi and Dubai. While not everything in her life is perfect, she feels worthy these days.
鈥�(I鈥檓) feeling so comfortable in my skin. I know who I am. And I know who I am in regards to my relationship to Divine Source,鈥� she said, pointing to the sky before holding her heart. 鈥淚 know that I have everything that I need right here and that anything else that anybody else wants to offer me is a gift 鈥� is a gift! And I鈥檓 deeply grateful.鈥�
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Follow Associated Press journalist Gary Gerard Hamilton at @GaryGHamilton on all his social media platforms.
Gary Gerard Hamilton, The Associated Press
