Jada Pinkett Smith: Will Smith’s “Holy Slap” Saved Our Marriage! on December 12, 2023 at 1:02 am The Hollywood Gossip

In early spring of 2022, a lot of people lost their collective minds over the Oscars.

After Chris Rock’s jabs about Jada Pinkett Smith, Will Smith jogged up to the stage and slapped him.

In the aftermath, people simply refused to be normal about it. The world also learned a lot about Will and Jada’s troubled marriage.

But Jada recently shared something else. That infamous slap? It may have saved their marriage.

Will Smith slaps Chris Rock onstage during the 94th Oscars at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California on March 27, 2022. (Photo Credit: ROBYN BECK/AFP via Getty Images)

In a recent interview with The Daily Mail, Jada Pinkett Smith shared how Will Smith’s ardent defense of her at the 2022 Academy Awards helped clarify a lot of things for her.

She knew in that moment that she and Will would, and should, always be together.

“After all those years trying to figure out if I would leave Will’s side,” Jada said. “It took that slap for me to see I will never leave him.”

Will Smith and his wife actress Jada Pinkett Smith attend the World Premiere of Disneys Aladdin at El Capitan theatre on May 21, 2019 in Hollywood. (VALERIE MACON / AFP) (Photo by VALERIE MACON/AFP via Getty Images)

“Who knows where our relationship would be if that hadn’t happened?” Jada then asked.

Back in October, she shared that she and Will had actually separated — quietly, secretly — seven years ago.

According to her, they had become “exhausted with trying” to make their marriage work. This was after nearly two decades of marriage, by the way. No small feat.

Jada Pinkett Smith and Will Smith attend the 73rd Annual Golden Globe Awards held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on January 10, 2016 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images)

At the time, Jada had emphasized that, “on paper,” she and Will were still married. There was no secret divorce filing or anything of the sort.

However, in their minds, they were no longer a couple. They were exes who respected each other and co-parented their amazing children.

In public, of course, they continued to present themselves as one of Hollywood’s most doting couples. They’d had decades of practice, after all.

Will Smith attends the Centerpiece Gala Premiere of Columbia Pictures’ “Concussion” during AFI FEST 2015 presented by Audi at TCL Chinese Theatre on November 10, 2015. (Photo Credit: Kevin Winter/Getty Images for AFI)

As you may recall, Chris Rock decided to make jokes at the Oscars about Jada’s closely shaved head.

Jada has alopecia. Additionally, the comedian has a reputation for having some sort of fixation about her. It’s unsettling.

That was why Will strode up to the stage and slapped Chris. The exchange between the two incredibly wealthy men was a scandal … justifiably, but many blew it out of proportion.

Red Table Talk took social media by storm, becoming the epicenter of hot topics from scandals to book promotions and more. (Image Credit: Facebook)

“I call it the ‘holy slap’ now,” Jada revealed in her recent interview.

She explained that she calls it that “because so many positive things came after it.”

Jada admitted: “I nearly didn’t even attend the Oscars that year, but I’m glad I did.”

Will Smith is a ball of mixed emotions while accepting his trophy in the year 2022 for Best Actor. (Photo Credit: Getty Images)

“That moment of the s–t hitting the fan,” Jada expressed, “is when you see where you really are.”

In other words? To his core, Will is someone who will hurt his own career and public brand in order to defend her.

That means a lot to both of them.

Jada Pinkett Smith: Will Smith’s “Holy Slap” Saved Our Marriage! was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip.

In early spring of 2022, a lot of people lost their collective minds over the Oscars. After Chris Rock’s jabs …
Jada Pinkett Smith: Will Smith’s “Holy Slap” Saved Our Marriage! was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip. 

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