Speaking to Entertainment Tonight at a screening of his upcoming action film, “Bad Boys: Ride or Die,” Will, 55, reflected on those closest to him whom he considers his “ride or die.”
“I’ve always been blessed that there has never been a time in my life when I didn’t look to the side and have a ride or die right there,” Smith remarked. “Jada is one of the most gangsta ride-or-dies I’ve ever had.”
In addition to Jada, 52, Will also acknowledged his longtime friends and collaborators DJ Jazzy Jeff and Alfonso Ribieiro as pivotal figures in his life.
Will and Jada’s relationship has spanned since they first crossed paths on the set of “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” in 1994. Although Jada didn’t land the role of Will’s on-screen girlfriend, their romantic journey began after Will’s separation from his first wife, Sheree Zampino.
The couple went public with their relationship in 1995 and got engaged in November 1997. They tied the knot on December 31, 1997, in Baltimore, with Jada three months pregnant with their son, Jaden Smith. Alongside Jaden, now 25, and daughter Willow Smith, 23, Will also shares his eldest son, Trey Smith, 31, with his ex-wife.
While Jada disclosed their separation since 2016 during an interview on Today in October 2023, she later credited Will’s confrontation with Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscars with reigniting their marriage. Reflecting on the incident, Jada expressed gratitude for attending the Oscars, stating, “That moment of the s— hitting the fan is when you see where you really are.” She further affirmed her commitment to Will, emphasizing, “I will never leave him.”
