Summary
- Will Smith's desire to become a famous actor stemmed from heartbreak and a fear of being cheated on.
- Ironically, Will's marriage to Jada Pinkett-Smith did experience infidelity, despite his initial motivation.
- Despite the negative publicity and marriage troubles, Will Smith's acting career has reached new heights.
From The Fresh Prince of Bel Air to the Bad Boys and Men In Black film series, Will Smith has become an in-demand actor who has kept his name buzzing in the film industry for decades. He's accomplished extraordinary feats during his professional career in Hollywood, but what has been the true motivation behind his drive for success in show business?
It would shock many fans to know that the motivating factor behind Will's desire to be a famous actor would stem from the heartbreak he suffered as a teenager when his girlfriend cheated on him. He believed that famous actors didn't get cheated on, and thought that by becoming one himself, he wouldn't relive the humiliation of his childhood. But, ironically, that's exactly what happened in his marriage to Jada Pinkett-Smith.
Did Betrayal Push Will Smith To Become A Famous Hollywood Actor?
Most famous actors either inherit the love of acting from their parents or have always desired to be on the big screen, but Will Smith's reason for pursuing acting might take some fans by surprise. His prime motivation for acquiring acting stardom was due to a girlfriend he had at 15 years old who cheated on him. This was an experience that he didn't want to experience again, and so he set out on a quest to become a world-famous actor, starting with his role in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air in 1990. From there, he took off running into his acting career and didn't look back.
It's extremely ironic to know that Will Smith built himself into this mega-Hollywood star to avoid getting his heart broken, only to have it happen in front of the entire world in a high-profile marriage to Jada Pinkett-Smith. During an interview with Puerto Rican actor Benicio Del Toro,
Will Smith admitted the following:
"When I was 15, my girlfriend cheated on me. And from that moment, in this bizarre psychological twist, I wanted to be the most famous entertainer on Earth, because I believed that your girlfriend couldn't cheat on you."
Will Smith's Biggest Controversies: Oscars Slap And More
Over the years, Will Smith's controversies have made headlines and have often landed him in big trouble.
Unquestionably, this source of inspiration led Will Smith to become one of the world's greatest movie stars of all time, but his success didn't save him from another humiliating relationship experience with Jada Pinkett. Besides Jada Pinkett, here is a list of Will Smith's other romantic partners, taken from Daily Mail:
- Sheree Zampino (1991-1995)
- Garcelle Beauvais (Unknown)
- Tyra Banks (1993-1994)
- Karrine Steffan (2004)
Did Jada Pinkett Ever Confess To Cheating On Will Smith?
Following the dysfunctionality that surrounded Will Smith and Jada Pinkett-Smith's marriage in recent years, it's safe to say that many Hollywood relationships aren't what they appear to be on the surface. In July 2020, during her infamous Red Table Talk with her husband, Jada revealed her "entanglement" relationship with R&B singer August Alsina.
However, she said that at the time, she and Will were separated (and have been separated since 2016), and that he "gave her his blessing". This shouldn't come as a surprise, since the two have also admitted to being in an unconventional open marriage, which, by definition, allows for either partner to entertain outside relationships.
However, despite her confession to having a romantic "entanglement" with August Alsina, Jada Pinkett denies cheating on Will Smith. According to Entertainment Weekly, Pinkett addressed the issue with Will in an interview with her mother where she stated, "I just need people to know... I did not cheat on Will Smith, no matter how sad he looked at that table," referring to the Red Table Talk. Perhaps she has a different definition of what cheating is, but as far as the rest of the world knows, having a relationship with a much younger man while married to your husband is considered cheating.
Has Will Smith's Marriage Woes Affected His Acting Career?
Will Smith's marriage to Jada Pinkett-Smith has only received negative criticism in recent years because prior to that, they were lauded as the ideal black celebrity couple. But in show business, it's understood that everything is not as it seems. On October 18, 2023, Will surprised Jada on stage at the Enoch Pratt Free Library where he described their relationship as "brutal and beautiful at the same time."
It's obvious that their marriage troubles had existed for some time, and the pain and pressure began taking its toll on Will Smith. This was especially true for Will, who slapped Chris Rock at the 94th Academy Awards in 2022 after he made a joke comparing Jada Pinkett to G.I. Jane because of her short hair. What followed was Will receiving a 10-year ban from the Academy Awards and all related events, including the Oscars. But this has slowed up the Hitch actor's career a bit, as he has a series of multi-million dollar movie projects underway, including Bad Boys 4 and the I Am Legend sequel, according to The Mirror. These are some of the most lucrative movies of the actor's career thus far, according to Red Book:
- Aladdin (2019) - $1.05 billion
- Independence Day (1996) - $817.4 million
- Suicide Squad (2016) - $746 million
- Men in Black III (2012) - $654 million
- Hancock (2008) - $629.4 million
It's safe to say that, despite the negative publicity from the Oscar slap and the humiliation from his marriage, Will Smith's career as an A-list actor has been taken to new heights. But what will come of his marriage to Jada Pinkett-Smith?
Are Will Smith And Jada Pinkett-Smith Getting Divorced?
For Will Smith and Jada Pinkett-Smith, it seems that nothing is done by the books due to their unconventional way of thinking. While explaining her seven-year separation from Will Smith during a prime-time special with Today Show host Hoda Kotb, she confirmed that the separation was "not a divorce on paper," but can be classified as a divorce. The Matrix Resurrections actress continued by saying, "I made a promise that there will never be a reason for us to get a divorce... We will work through whatever. And I just haven't been able to break that promise."
Will Smith also branded their relationship as a "sloppy public experiment in unconditional love." He then reaffirmed his love for her by saying, "Jada is the best friend I have ever had on this planet and I am going to show up for her and support her for the rest of my life."
50 Cent Pokes Fun At Will Smith And Jada Pinkett Smith's Relationship
Pinkett-Smith referred to her relationship as an entanglement; Smith then quickly added that it was a relationship. 50 Cent decided to chime in.
For many, they've become the poster image for everything you DON'T want your marriage to be. But after a 24-year relationship that spawned two children, Jaden and Willow Smith, maybe they think it's better to work things out than to deal with a messy legal divorce like so many other celebrity couples.
