Will Smith, Jada Pinkett Smith Have “Separate Lives”?

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Do Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith have “separate lives”? A new report claims the couple is on the verge of a divorce. But Gossip Cop can set the record straight, with help from the actor himself.

Before we get into the specifics of this new Star article, it’s important to look at the tabloid’s history. This is a gossip magazine that has been falsely spreading allegations about the couple splitting for years. In 2011, for example, the outlet published a “divorce papers” cover story. That was followed in 2012 with a cover story touting a “divorce bombshell.” Gossip Cop debunked both of those reports when they came out, and time has shown our reporting was correct. The couple never called it quits. What’s more is they’ve each addressed some of these bogus breakup rumors over the years, including in interviews Jada has given to Essence and Redbook, as well as on Will’s Facebook page.

Now the publication’s latest piece claims the Smiths have spent “more than 520 days apart” and haven’t been seen together since 2016. This is demonstrably wrong. In January, for instance, Will shared on Instagram a video of him and Jada on a paddleboat together. Additionally, two separate contacts close to the couple separately tell Gossip Cop on background that the reason the couple has not been seen together lately is because Will has been away shooting a movie in Europe. Notably, that key information is missing from the tabloid’s story.

Instead, a so-called “insider” is quoted as saying, “The word among Will and Jada’s friends is their marriage is in trouble… Will and Jada are spending less time together and just want to do their own thing.” The phrasing of “the word is” is a telltale sign that the magazine doesn’t have any first-hand knowledge of the situation, nor direct confirmation that the marriage is in fact in trouble. Instead, readers are supposed to believe what purported “friends” allegedly told an “insider,” who supposedly leaked that information to the gossip media. This sourcing, coupled with the outlet’s documented history of spreading untrue claims about marital problems, simply isn’t credible.

Still, this questionable “insider” goes on to maintain, “Will and Jada will be there for their kids always, but they don’t want to be shackled together — and could be well on their way to a divorce.” This is false, according to Will himself. Earlier this week, Will slammed divorce rumors in a new song, in which he raps, “20 years of swag y’all just witnessed/Stop the divorce rumors and mind your damn business.” The “20 years” is a reference to the couple celebrating their 20th wedding anniversary last December.

For her part, just last week Jada opened up about how “extremely supportive” Will has been of her during their marriage. Logically, if he’s supporting her, the stars aren’t living “separate lives,” as alleged by the publication. Their careers and individual journeys may mean they’re not physically in the same place as often as they’d like, but that doesn’t mean they’re any less united in their relationship. In fact, in early May Will revealed he convinced Jada to rejoin Instagram. In a post days later, he referred to his wife as his “queen.”

It’s evident from Will and Jada’s own comments, their social media feeds, the inaccuracies within this article and the untrustworthy sourcing that the couple is not about to break up. With all this in mind, we’ve determined the report to be not true, just like the ones that have come before it. Adds one of our aforementioned contacts, “It’s ridiculous.”