Hollywood is talking about Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith’s divorce rumors after the infamous slap. Insiders are fairly certain that the power couple are headed towards divorce after the Oscars incident.
The King Richard actor had made headlines when he slapped comedian Chris Rock at the Academy Awards on March 27, 2022. Rock commented on Jada’s hair, calling her “G.I. Jane,” which prompted Smith to go on stage and slap him. The Academy of Motion Pictures then banned Smith from attending any of the Academy’s events, including the Oscars. Smith publicly apologized to Rock on Instagram on March 29, 2022: “I would like to publicly apologize to you, Chris. I was out of line and I was wrong. I am embarrassed and my actions were not indicative of the man I want to be,” he wrote. “There is no place for violence in a world of love and kindness.” Jada also released a comment following the incident, where she focused on healing,“This is a season for healing and I’m here for it,” her brief statement read.
Following the altercation, rumors emerged of Jada and Will splitting. The couple, who have openly talked about their marriage troubles on Jada’s show Red Table Talk, are reportedly not getting along after the slap. “Ever since the Oscars scandal, the tension between them has been palpable,” a close source told Heat Magazine UK. “There have been problems for years, but they’re barely speaking right now.”
The source continued that if divorce was on the table, things would get messy quickly. “If they were to split, Will has a fortune of $350 million that Jada would be entitled to under California law,” the insider explained. “It could be one of the ugliest divorces in showbiz history and drag on longer than Angelina [Jolie] and Brad [Pitt’s] did.”
Jada once revealed that she didn’t want to marry Will in the first place. However, the source did emphasize how reluctant Will is to go through with the divorce. “Will obviously doesn’t want that but there is only so much he can take,” the source said. “Will has made no secret of how uncomfortable he feels about Jada sharing every personal detail of their marriage. He had so much pressure on him from big studios to sell their movies, and you have to be squeaky clean. This is the last straw and could force him to finally end things.”