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The actor said he was “shocked” by parts of Pinkett Smith’s memoir, “Worthy” — and admits to “emotional blindness.”
The Jada Pinkett Smith and Will Smith story continues.
When Pinkett Smith revealed, ahead of the release of her new memoir “Worthy,” that she and her husband of 26 years, Will Smith, have been separated since 2016, it was a watershed disclosure for the public. Now, during the week of her memoir’s official release, Smith has revealed that aspects of his wife’s memoir were “shocking” to him, as well.
Pinkett Smith has been making extensive press rounds for her memoir, including an interview with theGrio’s “Writing Black” podcast hosted by Lifestyle Editor Maiysha Kai. During her appearance on the latest episode of “On Purpose with Jay Shetty,” Shetty read a letter to Pinkett Smith written by her husband in which he shared his support and his surprise at the book’s many revelations.
“It is amazing to realize that despite having lived most of my life by your side, I still found myself shocked and stunned and caught off guard, laughing, then inspired, then heartbroken. I was all over the place,” he wrote.
Smith added, “It’s one thing to hear anecdotes at a family barbecue, but it was truly overwhelming to take in your story, potently condensed in this way.”
Smith, who published his own self-titled memoir in 2021, also acknowledged Pinkett Smith’s efforts in writing her memoir when he said, “I know it wasn’t easy to excavate the depths in that way. I applaud and honor you.”
He also noted how, had he read some of what is in her memoir at the start of the couple’s relationship 30 years ago, he may have hugged her more. “I’ll start now,” he promised.
“Welcome to the Authors Club. I love you endlessly. Now go get some Merlot and take a rest,” he concluded the letter.
In response to the letter, Pinkett Smith laughed and said, “He knows I can’t have no Merlot! That’s beautiful. That’s why I can’t divorce that joker.”
She added that hearing him say Smith would have hugged her more, “Is me hearing him say he would have taken a bit more time to listen and understand.”
Smith didn’t just respond on Shetty’s podcast; he also gave a statement to the New York Times via email. In his message, published in an interview with Pinkett Smith, he explained that “Worthy” revealed to him that his wife “lived a life more on the edge than he’d realized.”
Smith further indicated that he’s aware he may have previously taken certain aspects of Pinkett Smith for granted.
“When you’ve been with someone for more than half of your life, a sort of emotional blindness sets in,” he said. “You can all too easily lose your sensitivity to their hidden nuances and subtle beauties.”
Since revealing their relationship status, Pinkett Smith has maintained that she and Smith – with whom she shares three children, Jaden, 25, Willow, 22, and her bonus son Trey, 30 – are “still figuring it out.”
TheGrio is FREE on your TV via Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Roku, and Android TV. TheGrio’s Black Podcast Network is free too. Download theGrio mobile apps today! Listen to ‘Writing Black’ with Maiysha Kai.