"Notifications off": Will Smith finally responds back amidst slew of Jada Pinkett revelations
Will Smith has finally made a response, or rather, a reason for the lack of one. In a reel posted on his official Instagram account, the actor is seen enjoying the high seas. His message: “Notifications off.”
With last week’s revelations during Jada Pinkett Smith’s interview, this is the first time since then that the Men in Black actor has taken to social media. While not a direct address, fans and detractors alike are wondering what's going on with Will Smith.
Will Smith and the Internet
Ever since the infamous 2022 Oscar slap incident, the actor's life seems to be a trending topic from time to time. This recent Instagram post from the Oscar-winner comes after Jada Pinkett Smith’s revelations last week and the internet’s reactions to them. Whether it's an address to the memes or the interview, nobody's sure.
Last week, in an exclusive clip from her NBC News primetime special with Hoda Kotb to promote her upcoming autobiography, Worthy, Jada Pinkett Smith disclosed a deep truth about her marriage to Will Smith. In the interview, which aired on October 13, 2023, she revealed that, though not legally divorced, they had been living "completely separate lives" since 2016.
She added,
"Right now, what we're focused on, which has been so beautiful, is deep healing. Because of everything that's transpired. What happens after that, I don't know yet."
What’s going on with the Smiths?
During and after the 2022 Oscars, where Will slapped comedian Chris Rock for making a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith's alopecia, the public perception was that they were standing united. They continued to appear together, holding hands at public events like movie premieres and award presentations.
However, Jada revealed that they were there as a family, not as husband and wife. According to Jada Pinkett Smith's autobiography, by 2016, they had grown "exhausted with trying" to keep their marriage together. Their expectations for one another had come to a point where they were out of step with reality.
The post-slap incident
Jada Pinkett Smith explained in the interview what the crowd and the rest of the world missed after Will Smith struck Chris Rock on stage. She recalled Chris Rock trying to apologize, which seemed to infuriate Will Smith further.
“And now he’s mad because Chris is talking to me, and I go, ‘Chris, this is about some old s---.’ That’s all I could think to say. I couldn’t really take in his apology.”
She also touched on why the actor had referred to her as his wife despite their separation.
“Now first of all, I’m really shocked because, mind you, we haven’t called each other husband and wife in a long time. I’m like, ‘What is going on right now?’”
What lies next for this famed marriage? Both Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith have been candid about their struggles and how complicated their relationship is. However, they remain business partners and parents to their three kids, Jaden, Willow, and Trey, while being separated.
What would shed much light on the internal dynamics of their marriage is Jada Pinkett Smith’s autobiography, Worthy, which will be available on October 17.
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