Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith were done with chasing the fairytale.
With more than two decades together under their married belt, the famed Mr. and Mrs. have become one of Hollywood’s staple pairs, evoking #couplegoals and offering proof that love can last in their turbulent industry.
However, as the actress and Red Table Talk co-host explained on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, the two were tired of fulfilling that image. As a result, they candidly revisited the lows of their marriage publicly in two episodes of the Facebook Watch show. Colbert wondered why they let the cameras in.
“What was really important about Will and I doing that show together—two things. First of all was really to kind of get rid of the idea that people in the public eye have perfect relationships,” she told the late-night host. “We were kind of sick of living up to that. We were real sick of it, and then second of all really having myself and Will come and talk about our relationship—sometimes you see just women do it alone or you just see a guy do it.”
The star also pointed out the power of having Will address his part in their problems. “Us having coming together and taking responsibility for both of our parts and also Will being the successful guy that he is and being willing to share what his pitfalls were in the relationship and in his family, you can’t imagine how many other successful men called and said, ‘Wow, my wife has been saying the same thing for years. Because you said it, it opened my eyes and because you said it, I’m willing to listen,” Jada explained.
“I think a lot of times successful men might feel like, ‘Hey, I know what I’m doing. I’ve had a lot of success in a lot of areas. I know exactly what I’m doing.’ So, a lot of times, you know, you can shut your partner down a little bit,” she said.
Fortunately, the two are going strong and Jada is her happiest ever. “I think that I really thought happiness had a lot to do with pleasure and I realize that happiness is about peace,” she told Colbert. “I am the most peaceful I’ve ever been in my life, so I am the happiest.”
