Jada Pinkett Smith Says 2022 Academy Awards Incident Was a Turning Point in Her Marriage: ‘I Left That Night as His Wife’

If you’re confused by the status of Jada Pinkett Smith and Will Smith’s marriage, you are not alone. Since Pinkett Smith revealed she and her longtime partner were separated for years without anyone knowing, fans have been looking for clues that explain what happened and where the duo are currently. Pinkett Smith cleared up their relationship status in a recent interview, where she revealed that Will Smith slapping Chris Rock during the 2022 Academy Awards was a turning point in their partnership. 

The 2022 Academy Awards altercation between Will Smith and Chris Rock was a turning point for the couple 

Pinkett Smith and Smith were quietly separated for years before Will Smith charged the stage at the 2022 Academy Awards to defend his wife. The moment turned out to be a pivotal one for the couple. During an interview on CBS Mornings, Jada Pinkett Smith said that the moment seemed to turn things around for her marriage. She said, “I might not have walked in there as his wife, but I left that night as his wife.” 

The Girls Trip actor said she and Smith had not called each other husband and wife for a long time before that moment. She insisted that she wasn’t leaving his side, and he wouldn’t leave hers. Still, Pinkett Smith shied away from sharing exactly why Smith reacted as he did. She insisted that that was Smith’s story to tell, although she previously revealed that she and Rock have a bit of a history. 

In her book Worthy, Pinkett Smith said Rock had called her up and asked her out, assuming she and Smith were divorcing. Pinkett Smith did not reveal when that phone call occurred. She did not say if that had anything to do with Smith’s behavior at the 2022 Oscars. 

What is the infamous 2022 Oscars slap? 

The slap that Pinkett Smith references during her recent interviews made headlines in 2022. During the Oscars, Chris Rock made a joke referencing Pinkett Smith’s shaved head. The joke did not land with Will Smith, who was attending the event with Pinkett Smith. 

In an unprecedented moment, Smith charged the stage and slapped Rock. The aggravated Smith screamed for Rock to keep his wife’s name out of his mouth. He then returned to his seat. In the fallout from the slap, Will Smith was banned from attending events held by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, including the Oscars, for 10 years. Smith also resigned from the Academy, although he can still be nominated for awards. 

While Smith has stayed out of headlines since the infamous slap, he has been working regularly. Bad Boys 4 is set to release in June. According to Variety, Smith is also working on I Am Legend 2. Micheal B. Jordan will star alongside him in the sequel.