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Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith 'Bad Boys: Ride or Die' Premiere, Los Angeles, California© O'Connor/AFF-USA/Shutterstock

Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith's unusual living situation

The Bad Boys actor and his 'life partner' have been separated since 2016

Francesca Shillcock
Senior Features Writer
January 31, 2025
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The status of Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith's marriage and relationship has been the subject of headlines for many years.

Though the couple, who wed in 1997 and share two children (Will has a son, Trey, from a previous marriage), are thought to have been separated romantically since 2016, they continue to be each other's "life partners" according to Jada, and People magazine recently reported that the couple haven't completely severed ties from each other.

Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith arrives at the Apple Original Films' "Emancipation"  Los Angeles Premiere  at Regency Village Theatre on November 30, 2022 in Los Angeles, California© Steve Granitz
Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith in 2022

One thing that is true, however, is that the couple have been – and continue to be – living apart from one another despite owning multiple properties in their mansion portfolio estimated to be worth more than $60 million in total.

Jada, 53, and Will, 56, have had separate homes for years. The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air legend mostly resides at their $56 million mansion in Calabasas that they built together, while Jada lives in her own place nearby.

Recommended videoYou may also likeWATCH: Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith's talented family explained

It seems the whole family is in close proximity. The couple have purchased homes for their grown-up kids Jaden, 26, an actor, and Willow, 24, a musician, in the area. 

Daily Mail reports, meanwhile, that Trey, 32, whom Will shares with ex-wife Sheree Zampino, lives at his dad's Calabasas house.

In 2023, Jada told The Times that she would, however, return to co-habiting with her husband again in the future. "To be honest with you, I think eventually we will [live together again.]

"I really do. Will's getting old. I'm staying quite young, but it's getting apparent to me that he's gonna need someone to take care of him."

Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith pose on red carpet during Oscars night in 2022© Getty Images
Jada Pinkett Smith said she would return to living with Will again in the future

Will and Jada's marriage status explained 

In 2020, Will and Jada famously sat down for a candid discussion on Jada's Facebook series, Red Table Talk, in which Jada shared she had an "entanglement" with the singer August Alsina, who is 20 years her junior.

It was also revealed at the time that Jada and Will had been separated since 2016.

jada pinkett smith and will smith 1995© Getty Images
Jada Pinkett and Will Smith pictured in 1995, two years before they wed

The couple had been plagued with rumors of an "open marriage" for years, something Jada denied to The Times, explaining there wasn't an allowance of "casual encounters" with other people when they were together, insisting instead they had a "transparent" marriage.

"It was about talking about feelings and being able to say, 'I'm attracted to this person, you need to come out here and be with me for three weeks.' That kinda thing."

Trey Smith, Willow Smith, Will Smith, Jada Pinkett Smith, Jaden Smith and Adrienne Banfield-Norris arrives at the Los Angeles Premiere Of Columbia Pictures' "Bad Boys: Ride Or Die" at TCL Chinese Theatre on May 30, 2024 in Hollywood, California© Getty Images
Trey Smith, Willow Smith, Will Smith, Jada Pinkett Smith, Jaden Smith and Adrienne Banfield-Norris arrives at the Los Angeles Premiere Of Columbia Pictures' "Bad Boys: Ride Or Die" at TCL Chinese Theatre on May 30, 2024

Despite not being together romantically, the pair have continued to be each other's cheerleaders and supporters. They have attended events, premieres and awards shows together. 

Most famously in recent years, Will and Jada attended the Academy Awards as a duo in 2022 – the same night Will came under fire for slapping Chris Rock and bellowing: "Keep my wife's name out your [expletive] mouth." 

Will was subsequently banned from attending the Oscars for ten years, despite winning his first Best Actor award of his career that night. 

Photo shared by the Pratt Library in Baltimore of Will Smith, Jada Pinkett-Smith, and their kids Trey, Willow and Jaden at Jada's book tour for her memoir Worthy© Pratt Library / X
Will, Jada and their kids Trey, Willow and Jaden at Jada's book tour for her memoir Worthy

Jada would tell Extra that the moment changed the trajectory of their relationship in many ways.

"That was a moment that I knew I would never leave Will’s side after all those years thinking I would. I didn't go in there as his wife, but I was leaving as his wife.

Jada Pinkett Smith attends the Los Angeles Premiere of Columbia Pictures' "Bad Boys: Ride or Die" at TCL Chinese Theatre © Getty
Jada has put to bed rumors of an 'open marriage' in the past

"It's funny how intense situations can amplify love, and it was a pretty difficult time, but it definitely drew us closer. It's crazy how things work."

"After all those years trying to figure out if I would leave Will's side, it took that slap for me to see I will never leave him. Who knows where our relationship would be if that hadn't happened."

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