- Jada Pinkett Smith revealed she's been separated from Will Smith since 2016, sending social media into a frenzy.
- Fans dissected past, viral moments of the couple's relationship, looking for signs of the charade.
Jada Pinkett Smith's bombshell revelation on Wednesday that she and Will Smith have been "separated" and living "completely different" lives since 2016 has sent social media into a frenzy.
The actress, who revealed the couple's long-shrouded status in her forthcoming memoir, "Worthy," said in a preview clip for the "Today" show that she and Smith were "exhausted with trying" but that she'd made a promise there'd never be a reason for them to divorce.
Now, social media sleuths are resurfacing videos of noteworthy moments in the couple's relationship — including Smith's infamous Oscars slap and their tête-à-tête on "Red Table Talk" about Pinkett Smith's "entanglement" with singer August Alsina — to try to find evidence in hindsight of the seven-year charade.
—journalist jawn (@dirtywhiteups) October 11, 2023
The "Today" show segment featured a clip of Pinkett Smith on "Watch What Happens Live" dated a year after their separation, where she was asked how they keep their sex life hot. "I don't know," she said. "I mean, I'm baffled, really."
In a video shared to X, users dissected the look on Smith's face during the "Red Table Talk" discussion. "He look [sic] drained," the creator NewMediaSports wrote under the video, which has 67,000 views.
Others pointed to Smith's jealous track record, sharing a clip from a past interview where he was asked whether he was threatened by Pinkett Smith's relationship with Tupac Shakur. "Fuck yeah," he said.
On TikTok, creator BettyieJayne suggested Pinkett Smith wasn't the only one who could've been entangled, nodding to old rumors surrounding Smith and his costar Margot Robbie. The TikToker showed a clip of Robbie playing a drinking game on "The Tonight Show." As part of the game, Robbie said the answer to the question on her notecard was "Will Smith," but she chose not reveal the question.
Insider has reached out to Smith and Robbie's teams for comment.
@bettyiej #Willsmith #jadapinkettsmith #willandjada #augustalsina #margotrobbie #fyp #foryoupage #margotrobbiewillsmith #viral #greenscreen #greenscreenvideo ♬ Gettin' Jiggy Wit It - Will Smith
Finally, many X users rehashed the Oscars slap in the wake of Pinkett Smith's admission, writing in her memoir that she initially thought the incident was a "skit," and also revealing that Chris Rock had once asked her out on a date amid rumors she and Smith were divorcing, per People. Given their separation, social media users questioned why Smith had come so violently to Pinkett Smith's defense.
In one clip, X user @Chombe1080 reposted footage of the incident, writing, "So Will Smith smacked the shit out of Chris Rock over this joke and is not even together with Jada Pinkett … this is embarrassing city."
Others, however, defended the actor. "They're not divorced," one commenter replied, "and some people go this hard for their exes/mother of their children."
Insider has also reached out to Pinkett Smith's team for comment.