Tonight, in an intimate, exclusive interview, Jada Pinkett Smith opens up about that and so much more, including her intensely scrutinized marriage to will smith you and will had probably more rumors about you than others right they have an open marriage theyre swingers. Yeah. What if anything is true . For the first time, she reveals the truth behind these happy images in 2016 you and will decided that you were going to live separate lives yeah. We live separately the darkness that threatened to consume her i tried to devise a plan for an accident so that it doesnt look like suicide. And what we did not see that infamous night chris says, jada, i meant no harm. Whats will doing now hes mad because chris is talking to me. Wow tonight everything is on the table. This is going to be a firestorm. Jadas story, an nbc news special. Good evening im hoda kotb. Shes starred in lots of big movies, but Jada Pinkett Smith may be even better known for her unconventional, sometimes controversial life off camera, including her marriage to will smith. I didnt quite know what to expect when we sat down. What i found was a candid, complex woman who now seems ready, even eager to lay bare the deeply private details of her most highprofile roles, as wife, mother, and oscar night guest. Academy awards night, 2022 from the red carpet, one of the most powerful couples in hollywood walked to their seats and into oscar infamy. Now, for the first time, jadas side of the story. It started with chris rock jada had something of a history with him, and she was wary did you have a sense of kind of foreboding, like uhoh, i dont feel right about this yeah, when i saw, i was like, aw, man. And i said, hes not going to be able to help himself. I said, i hope he plays nice. But you were front row. You all were right there in his eye line yeah. And so i was just like, hopefully he will play nice, you know okay. So youre sitting there, and apparently chris rock is going offscript hes just doing what chris rock does mmhmm. And he makes a crack about you. A crack that set will off on a violent and emotional outburst it put the couple at the center of a firestorm and threatened to destroy their reputations and careers. Youll hear the full story of what happened that night in a remarkably candid interview. But we started here, where her life in entertainment began. Wait a minute look where we are. I know, right how does this how does this grab you, being back here where it all began yeah. Jada met me at her old high school, the Baltimore School for the arts, where she first appeared on stage and hoped to make acting the focus of her life do you remember being up on this stage oh, do i . What did you do up there . So much i remember choreographing a piece. I picture little jada up on this stage i can see it i can see it wreaking havoc. I was wreaking havoc all through this school. All on this stage, you know . Its good times. Yeah. I did a lot of growing up here and here is where she hit it off with a kid named tupac shakur, who was then living in baltimore. So this place is also significant because this is where you met tupac. Pac was new it was my sophomore year and he looked over, and he saw me, and he just targeted me. And he said, hi, im tupac. And i said, hey, im jada. And we were inseparable from that moment. What drew you to him . What was it . He was such a charismatic he had this beautiful smile. He had a little peanut head. This little peanut head. I remember being at my house on price avenue, on the back porch. And, you know, he was like, oh, you know, we should try. And i was like, pac, kiss me. Go ahead, just kiss me. And so he kissed me. And we both pulled back, like, what the hell . Whos not, for you or for him . It was not for either one of us yet their friendship would endure, a story thats part of her new memoir titled worthy. I love the title right out of the gate you didnt just jump at this title. Why did this speak to you . I have to be honest about something. I wanted to call the book at first unlovable. Ooh i feel like thats the journey were all on, trying to figure out how to feel more lovable. Now 52, from the time she was a young girl she searched to find her place she was not a great student. When she was on stage, though, her teachers took notice she had a certain something. They saw that i had talent. And so they just they just pushed me through school because they knew. They were like, if we can just get her through school, get her out of here. Yeah. They really felt like i would do something with my life. She showed promise, she modeled, entered pageants, and even got a part as a runaway slave in a pbs drama trouble is now i dont know if this the place i supposed to be her teen years were tough, though a suspected drug dealer has been arrested. Almost derailed by the 1980s crack epidemic jadas mom, a nurse, struggled with addiction her father did too she was raised partly by her maternal grandmother and at one point jada fell into the drug culture herself i didnt know your childhood story. Yeah. I cannot imagine you as a 14yearold dealing. Like, i reread that. Yeah. It was crack yeah crack it was crack. And um, yeah, until i was about 17 years old how did you, i mean so a 15, 16, 17yearold girl yeah. Dealing crack. Crack you didnt use it, but you dealt it yeah. Thats like a scary underbelly i mean, wasnt it . Well, you know, its it seems that way now, looking back but that was the life i was living at the time, right . So it didnt seem so abnormal. Yeah. Oh, yeah. This alley right here, thats where i was running down literally this is it. This is my house oh, my god. This is it. Oh. This is where i grew up it looks much better than when i lived there. Thats for sure. Wow and its where she learned to live multiple lives. Im going to Baltimore School for the arts during the day. And then you got a job in the afternoon and youre dealing at night. Im doing thats, you know, multiple worlds at one time im used to that its a thread that runs through her life, from her school days to the pinnacle of celebrity. And so, oh, were going to the white house. Cool i know how to do that. Oh, were going to the hood. Cool i know how to do that. Oh, Baltimore School for the arts. Cool i know how to do that. I was raised that way. My grandmother raised me to be well rounded for the good, you know and but she always wanted me to be able to be in all kinds of environments, deal with all kinds of people. I know how to do that. But her risky balancing act, drama student and drug dealer, almost cost jada her life. If you thinking youre gonna die mmhmm. Youre gonna die if you have moderate to severe Crohns Disease skyrizi is the first and only il23 inhibitor that can deliver clinical remission and endoscopic improvement. Serious allergic reactions and an increased risk of infections or a lower ability to fight them may occur. Tell your doctor if you have an infection or symptoms, had a vaccine or plan to. Liver problems may occur in Crohns Disease. Control of crohns means everything to me. Ask your gastroenterologist about skyrizi. Control is everything to me learn how abbvie could help you save. Kohls has fall style that can take you from everyday. To the holidays. Like womens sweaters for 27. 99. And mens denim for 29. 99. Plus, take 20 off some of your faves. And earn kohls cash now at kohls. Cut another Health Insurance commercial, another aquaaerobics scene. Yup. Most Health Insurance companies see us all the same smiley seniors golfing, hiking. Dont forget antiquing. Thats why i chose humana. They see me, not a stereotypical senior. Im prediabetic, so i talked oneonone with a Humana Health educator who really helped me. Now im taking free cooking and meditation classes. Not aquaaerobics . Better care begins with listening. Humana. A more human way to healthcare. Scrawny butt feelin kinda yawny butt jelly butt uh oh something smelly butt no matter what kind of little butt you got only huggies has the most curves to fit your delicate skin we got you, baby before my doctor and i chose breztri for my copd, i had bad days, cough, cough flareups that could permanently damage my lungs. With breztri, things changed for me. Breztri gave me better breathing. Starting within 5 minutes, i noticed my lung function improved. It helped improve my symptoms, and breztri was even proven to reduce flareups, including those that could send me to the hospital. So now i look forward to more good days. Breztri wont replace a rescue inhaler for sudden breathing problems. It is not for asthma. Tell your doctor if you have a heart condition or high Blood Pressure before taking it. Dont take breztri more than prescribed. Breztri may increase your risk of thrush, pneumonia, and osteoporosis. Call your doctor if worsened breathing, chest pain, mouth or tongue swelling, problems urinating, vision changes, or eye pain occur. Cant afford your medication . Astrazeneca may be able to help. Ask your doctor about breztri. Thinking about it like, wow, this is messed up. Its like, yo, its just what it is. This is the way it is yep in the late 80s, jada pinkett was living a dangerous double life. By day, a performing arts student. By night, a drug dealer. When you describe the drug dealing days, it was terrifying to read. There was a scene that you describe where someone kicks a door in yeah. And holds a gun to your head two guys. Two 9 millimeters. Yeah jada was dealing out of an apartment when two men stormed the place and stole her drugs, cash, and jewelry. She was just 17. How did you survive that emotionally . Obviously i havent im still yeah. You know, ptsd and all of that but at the time i hate to say this, but thats not thats not, like, an uncommon thing mmhmm. Did you think it might be over in that moment no. Yeah. I didnt. If you thinking youre gonna die mmhmm. Youre gonna die. Was there a time where you decided, like, thats it for drugs. Im not doing that anymore im not dealing anymore well, after a couple of runins where i almost lost my life, i was like, you are obviously not built for this. Once my mother found out what had been going on with me yeah. She put her foot down. And thats what i mean even though my mother was an addict, when things got real, she showed up big time yeah. Shes like, youre getting up outta here. Jada tried college but decided it was not for her and headed to hollywood in 1990. For months she juggled three jobs and stayed with a family friend until she was introduced to keenen ivory wayans, creator of the hit show in living color. Do what you want to do i used to bug him about making me a fly girl and he was like, thats not what you came out here to do. So he allowed me to use his name to get an agent. From there, the doors opened and jada landed auditions. Her big break came a year later when she was just 19 its a different world an audition for a guest role on the hit show a different world. She read for the shows producer, emmywinning actress and director debbie allen. After i do the audition, she goes, i want to know about, well, whats going on with you. Yeah. And so i tell her my life story, and i tell her im going to be the next debbie allen, you know [ laughs ] and she cracks up. And, you know, by the end of the audition or our time together mmhmm. She says, im not going to give you the role, but im going to make you a series regular. Oh, my god. Yeah. I mean thats it that was it jada played a nononsense freshman from baltimore. Name . Lena james. A role that would change everything what happened to your world . I blew up overnight, jada became a hollywood sensation, living the life shed always dreamed of and she wasnt the only one. Her close pal tupac was doing the same hed also moved to california and was well on his way to becoming one of the most influential hiphop artists of all time tupac, go ahead and rock this when i hang around with the underground he even made a guest appearance on a different world. Piccolo l to the j. Whats happenin, baby after two seasons, jadas career skyrocketed from tv to films, with a starring role in menace to society. The way that i see it, youll be dead or youll be in jail by then, jada had already met her future prince now, this is a story all abou how will smith on the set of his hit show, the fresh prince of belair. You auditioned for a little role on fresh prince, and you dont get it yeah. But you did catch the eye of one will smith right what did you think of him yeah, i was like, okay, hes hanging out here, you know, fishing. You know what i mean uhhuh. Seeing all the pretty girls coming out the audition room and i was like, dont talk to me unless youre trying to get me a role. Nothing came of that brief meeting. But three years later, in 1994, the two met again and struck up a friendship will was married, with a son, and jadas mom did not approve he called me when i was in baltimore with my mother mmhmm. She was like, listen, tell him yall hang up that phone. You dont need to be talking to no married man. And i was like, shes right. And so i was like, will, im so sorry, but my mom says please dont call me anymore. And so we didnt talk again for a whole other year by then, will was going through a divorce. He called me and he was like, where are you . And i was like, im in baltimore. He was like, are you coming back to l. A. . And i was like, yeah. He was like, are you seeing anybody . And i was like, no. And he said, good, because you seeing me now. And i was like, what . Straight up just straight up, you know. I kind of liked that it wasnt long before jada hopped on a plane to l. A. For her first date with will, and a hollywood love story began you knew on the first date things were going that way i knew on the first date. He was a different kind of guy than i was used to dating. Mmhmm. Extremely intelligent, which i really liked because he kept me on my toes. Mmhmm. And he was just so such a big dreamer. Everything jada wanted seemed right within her reach but in secret she was struggling with something so painful it would bring her to her knees it just got really unbearable and you start to think that everybodys better without you here proven over 90 effective, shingrix is a vaccine used to prevent shingles in adults 50 years and older. Shingrix does not protect everyone and is not for those with severe allergic reactions to its ingredients or to a previous dose. An increased risk of guillainbarre syndrome was observed after getting shingrix. Fainting can also happen. The most common side effects are pain, redness, and swelling at the injection site, muscle pain, tiredness, headache, shivering, fever, and upset stomach. Shingles doesnt care but, shingrix protects. Shingrix is now zero dollars for almost everyone. Ask your doctor about shingrix today. Listen, your deodorant just has to work. I use secret aluminum free. Just swipe and it lasts all day. Secret helps eliminate odor, instead of just masking it. And hours later, i still smell fresh. Secret works ohhh yesss. My dry eyes made me a burning, stinging, 5timesaday,. Makeup smearing drops user. I want another option thats not another drop. Tyrvaya. Its not another drop. Its the first and only nasal spray for dry eye. Tyrvaya treats the signs and symptoms of dry eye disease fast by helping your body produce its own real tears. Common side effects include sneezing, cough, and throat and nose irritation. Relying only on drops . Not me. My own real tears are my relief. Ask your eye doctor about tyrvaya. Jadas dreams were coming true her career was blossoming, as was her relationship with boyfriend will smith and then, a nightmare. Rap artist tupac shakur has succumbed to Bullet Wounds and died at the age of 25. Her friend tupac shakur was murdered in las vegas in 1996. Jada was devastated. Since high school, theyd always been there for each other. I think it had a lot to do with just him needing mmhmm. Some kind of rock. And in all honesty, we had been that for each other. Now she had will. She found comfort with him after a while, jada got back to work, and she and will were soon off on a meteoric rise to stardom. She appeared in set it off and the nutty professor. I followed your work for many years, and im a big fan will starred in bad boys, independence day, and men in black. You know what the difference is between you and me . I make this look good. He became the quintessential allamerican action hero and together they were the allamerican couple. They married on new years eve 1997 soon after they became parents theres no way i was going to have a baby and us not be married. So jaden came jaden came. And willow came and willow came so you you talk about how, when you were raised you didnt really have role models at home to see how to raise kids with your mom right you had your grandmother and you had your aunt, but your mom wasnt there so now youve got two children youve got to be a mom who were you modeling motherhood after . How did you know how to be well, you know, my mom was there. And my mom did surely there was a lot of things that she showed me not to do. Mmhmm. But there was a lot of things she showed me to do, you know. Both jaden and willow went into show business at an early age, in music and in the movies. From everything the public could see, this family was golden. Looking at your life, it looks perfect. Right but during that time you found yourself in a very, very, very dark spot it was shocking to read how dark it got for you in that moment. Yeah. Id been struggling with depression for a long time so along the way im thinking that life is going to cure me. Right will can fix it, or my job can fix it. Will can fix it, my job and when i started to get into my late 30s and then hit 40, i hit a terrible wall. Behind her radiant smile as her 40th birthday approached in 2011, her pain was so great she looked for an out. Those suicidal thoughts were just so extreme and were grabbing me. What were the thoughts saying to you you know, not deserving to live, not feeling loved, not seeing light at the end of the tunnel it just got really unbearable. And you start to think that everybodys better without you here oh, geez. I start to, like, try to devise a plan for an accident so that it doesnt look like suicide. And as morbid as it might sound, when i would come up with a plan it made me feel like, okay, you got the plan, so youre good so if it gets really, really, really bad, you got your out. Her plan involved a highspeed ride on mulholland drive in los angeles, the Mountain Road with scenic overlooks and treacherous cliffs im just trying to imagine you driving mulholland drive and wondering wheres a good spot oh, yeah. For this to happen and that your kids would be better off did you imagine in your mind it would be better because they would be raised this way or it would be better because i wouldnt be here it would just be better they would be okay, and i would be out the way right . Because you trying to rationalize the thoughts that come i think about it now, and its actually a ridiculous thought. Jada says she found relief from a very unconventional drug, a plantbased based psychedelic tea that originated in south america. It is highly controversial but jada says it helped her immensely. You came out the other side and you had its like the veil had been lifted yeah, completely lifted thank the lord as she battled depression, jada and will also battled a barrage of rumors. People questioned their religious beliefs, their parenting style, and more. You and will had probably more rumors about you or talk about you than others. Right they have an open marriage theyre swingers. Yeah. Hes gay shes gay. I mean, a million things were out there. Yeah. What if anything is true, and did hearing all that stuff bother you no. You know, thats part of it. I would say that none of thats true i definitely can understand why there would be misunderstandings. But none of its true. But after 2016 there was a secret the couple did try to hide until now. I feel like youre a straight talker i am. Except youre not sometimes yeah. Tide is busting laundrys biggest myth. That cold water cant clean. Food fight food fight cold water, on those stains . Welp, only one way to find out. Tide cleans better in cold than the leading bargain detergent in warm. Cold water cant clean tough stains . Id say that myth is busted i always wanted to say that turn to cold, with tide. Only Unitedhealthcare Medicare advantage plans come with the ucard one simple member card that opens doors for what matters. What if we need to see a doctor away from home . We got you with medicare advantages Largest National provider network. Only from unitedhealthcare. With wet amd, sometimes i worry my world is getting smaller because of my sight. But now, i can open up my world with vabysmo. Vabysmo is the first fdaapproved treatment for people with wet amd that improves vision and delivers a chance for up to 4 months between treatments. Which means doing more of what i love. Vabysmo is the only treatment designed to block 2 causes of wet amd. Vabysmo is an eye injection. Dont take it if you have an infection or active swelling in or around your eye, or are allergic to it or any of its ingredients. Treatments like vabysmo can cause eye infection or retinal detachment. Vabysmo may cause a temporary increase in eye pressure after receiving the injection. Although uncommon, there is a potential risk of heart attack or stroke associated with blood clots. Open up your world a chance for up to 4 months between treatments with vabysmo. Ask your doctor. Between treatments vo th vabysmo. Purina cares here. [ am pm by notd begins ] how good does it feel when threshold decor welcomes more seasonal style for less . When you can save on good gather groceries in all the fall flavors. And when Quality Ingredients bring more to the table. When you get low prices on the latest trends. When rewards come with quality and coziness. And when youre serving up taste they love at low prices. Thats totally target. Jada after more than 25 years in hollywood, Jada Pinkett Smith seemed to have it all. Her marriage appeared to be thriving her career too, as jada continued to land roles in blockbuster films. Can we make it . We aint come this far. She even started a heavy metal band then, at 46, jada embarked on a completely different venture and launched a show on facebooks streaming platform called red table talk. We about to red table that cohosting along with her mom, whod been sober and in recovery for decades, and her teenage daughter, they talked about deeply personal topics then in june 2020 jadas name was back in the headlines. Rumors were circulating that three years before shed had an affair with a family friend named August Alsina after this interview with him went viral. I totally gave myself to that relationship for years of my life ten days later, jada decided to address the scandal on her show and will joined her. Jada and will admitted that when alsina entered the picture their marriage was already in trouble. You and i were going through a very difficult time. Yeah. And wed decided i was done with your ass. Yeah, you kicked me to the curb i was done with you yeah. Will and jada explained that they decided to separate and focus on their individual happiness for a while. And then what did you do, jada well, you know, i think from there, you know, as time went on, i got into a different kind of entanglement mmhmm. With august. An entanglement yes [ laughter ] a relationship. Yes, it was a relationship. Absolutely the conversation was intimate they seemed to hold nothing back what do you feel like, um, you were looking for i just wanted to feel good. Mmhmm. It had been so long since i felt good. Right but by the end, jada and will seemed on good terms, making light of the situation now i gotta be with you at the press conference while you, like, tell the world, uh, about your transgressions. In the 24 hours after its release, more than 12 Million People watched the episode many got the impression that jada humiliated her husband, making her the villain you and will were talking about it, and me not knowing what was going on, i looked and i said, my god, this guys been blindsided whats going on here . Yeah. So im watching this weird dance go on. Yeah. It looks like this guys being humiliated i know. On National Television if viewers got the impression will was humiliated, jada says that is not the case at all. She says will asked to be on the show and knew about alsina so he knew about the relationship prior to this absolutely. And there is Something Else that was not clear in that episode. Something jada has never disclosed before she and will were not just on a break during her relationship with alsina. Theyve actually been living separate lives for years there are so many surprising things in the book, but the thing that surprised me the most, that i actually had to reread it right because i said, is this true . Right was that in 2016 you and will decided that you were going to live completely separate lives yes it was not a divorce on paper. Right but it was a divorce. Divorce so from the year 2016, which is 7 years ago now yes you all have been apart. Yeah. But in public, they denied the gossip about their marriage and played the role of adoring couple this interview on bravos watch what happens live with andy cohen was taped a year after will and jada separated. How long have you guys been together uh, 23 years. [ cheers and applause wow, thats amazing how do you keep it hot um, how do i keep it hot . Uh, you know uh maybe i dont know. I mean, im baffled really so i guess my question is i feel like youre a straight talker i am. Except youre not sometimes yeah. So why do that . Like, what was the reason . I think just not being ready yet. Mmhmm. Still trying to figure out between the two of us yeah. How to be in partnership, right . And in regards to how do we present that to people, you know and we hadnt figured that out during our walk in baltimore, jada reflected on their breakup why did the relationship fracture oh, why it fractured . That thats a lot of things yeah. And i think by the time we got to 2016, we were just exhausted with trying. I think we were both kind of just still stuck in our fantasy of what we thought the other person should be jada says she considered a legal divorce but could never go through with it. I made a promise that there will never be a reason for us to get a divorce. We will work through mmhmm. Whatever and i just havent been able to break that promise but you still live separately we live separately. Eventually the entanglement scandal died down and jada and will went back to quietly living their separate lives but that became almost impossible after oscar night 2022, when millions of viewers witnessed the moment that stunned both jada and the world. Im like, wait a minute. Hold up. This is not something something is off. Ting. When your lotions and creams dont do enough to help treat the inflammation beneath the skin, causing plaques and pain, its time to get real about psoriasis, so, your dermatologist can help you get clear. Make the appointment and ask about real clear skin. You know poop is coming, but you know you have nothing to fear. Pampers swaddlers with new blowout barrier helps prevent up to 100 of leaks, even blowouts. Fear no leaks with pampers swaddlers. Andrew just saved big on a laser hair remover at amazon. Because less hair, more air. vo if your thyroid eye disease was diagnosed a long, long time ago because less hair, more air. You may think your eyes will be bulging forever. Like a neverending curse that cant be broken. But even if youve been told its too late, treating your thyroid eye disease may still be possible. And a new day is within sight. Learn how you could give your eyes a fresh start at stilltreatted. Com. As 2022 began, jada was hoping the entanglements scandal had blown over and that winter, will was nominated for an oscar for his role in the movie king richard. Okay will called you up again, you guys havent been together in years. And he says, come join me well in this moment. Right the thing about it is that will and i, were family. He calls me, and hes like, will you go to the oscars with me . And she went. It was Academy Awards night, march 27th, 2022 they looked like a committed, romantic couple, posing on the red carpet you look dazzling. He looks dazzling. I do have to ask, though people who would be reading this will go like, but wait. I saw them kissing on the red carpet. Oh, yeah. What about for people who feel like, man, i feel like jada and will betrayed us theyve been pretending. Theyve been putting on a phony show for all these years you know, i would say that theres deep love between us and i could see why people would say that its not exactly what they thought but i actually think that it could be a lot more than what people hope for, right as they took their seats oscar night, jada was a bit tense. Chris rock was a presenter and they had a backstory the 2016 oscars had been criticized for having too few black nominees, and jada boycotted the ceremony chris made a joke about that jada boycotting the oscars is like me boycotting rihannas panties. [ laughter ] i wasnt invited it stung. So in 2022 jada just hoped for the best and so i was just like, hopefully hell play nice. You know i didnt really see any reason why he wouldnt, since after the 2016 oscars he reached out and apologized for what he had said. And we hadnt talked since okay. So youre sitting there, and apparently chris rock is going off script hes just doing what chris rock does mmhmm. And he makes a crack about you. A crack that hit a nerve. Jada struggled for years with alopecia, which causes hair loss and with millions watching around the world, chris referred to demi moores shaved head in the movie g. I. Jane. Jada, i love ya g. I. Jane 2, cant wait to see it all right . At first will laughed but not jada i could tell it bothered you. You did an eye roll, right right, yeah and i did that eye roll not so much for me and i think this is really important but the fact that there could be a jab at alopecia. Mmhmm. And i was thinking about everyone else that suffers from alopecia and suffers from alopecia in shame, that it was going to be okay to make a joke about a condition that someone cannot right you dont have any control over that. And so i rolled my eyes like, oh, here we go again. And then will gets up. Jada says she didnt realize what was happening she thought it might have been a planned comedy bit because all night through the oscars, you know, between the three hosts, it had been all this impromptu kind of like right, back and forth back and forth with the audience and people getting up on stage and all this kind of stuff. And im like oh. Maybe he didnt tell me. Right and, you know, chris is like, uhoh. Chris is kind of, like, making light of it. Jada says her view was partially blocked because will walked in front of chris but millions of viewers did see it and then will swings. Oh, wow wow. And from where im sitting, it doesnt look like will actually made contact with chris. So im thinking chris slipped it and im like, oh, this is interesting. You know and will turns around. Now, as wills coming back, im like, wait a minute hold up. Something is off. Because you know when hes upset. Yeah. And will was upset. Im like, whoa. And then, when he sits down and i look at him yeah. And i grab his hand. And im just trying to see where he is. And then it continues. And im like and you heard what he said. Oh, [ bleep ] viewers in the United States did not hear it because the audio was cut off. But will let out a furious tirade that was heard in other countries. A clip from australias Channel Seven went viral you keep my wifes name outta your [ bleep ] mouth wow, dude, it was a g. I. Jane joke keep my wifes name out your [ bleep ] mouth im like, oh, okay okay whats happening . Whats going on what is going on . Now, first of all, im really shocked because, mind you, im not there. We havent called each other husband and wife yeah. In a long time im like, what is going on right now . Right, keep my wifes name wifes name out of your mouth, right . Yeah, yes, yes. But now im really worried for will because i dont know whats going on. What viewers did not see at the time, while oscar clips were being shown, was chris rock leaning over the stage to talk to jada. And chris looks to me and he says, jada, i meant you i meant no harm. Now, i im just out of it because yeah. Im really worried about will and whats will doing hes just sitting there . And wills still talking. Hes like oh. Hes still because now hes mad because chris is talking to me. And i go, chris, this is about some old [ bleep ]. Thats all i could think of saying, right . And i couldnt really take in his apology. Chris finishes, and im thinking to myself, i mean, chris is fine theres, you know, no swelling, no nothing so im still thinking chris hasnt been struck but this is not okay and then, during a commercial break wills publicist, meredith, comes out. Meredith says, chris has left the building and hes not going to press charges. And i said, press charges for what . Uhhuh. And she says, will hit chris. I looked to will, and i said, you hit chris like, you actually hit chris . And hes like, yeah. And im like what . And im like, all right. Im like and then i click in, and im like, you know what . I go straight into jada mode were going to get through this this is going to be a firestorm. I got you. But jada got more than she could imagine. You became the bad guy mm. With 8 weeks of freedom between infusions. Ultomiris can lower your immune systems ability to fight infections, increasing your chance of serious, lifethreatening meningococcal and other types of infections. If not vaccinated, you must receive meningococcal vaccines at least 2 weeks before starting ultomiris and if ultomiris is urgent, you should also receive 2 weeks of antibiotics with your vaccines. Before starting ultomiris, tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions and medications. Ultomiris can cause reactions such as back pain, tiredness, dizziness, limb discomfort, or bad taste. Ultomiris is here. Ask your doctor about managing your generalized myasthenia gravis with ultomiris. We know that potty training can move to its own rhythm. And pullups has refastenable sides for changing thats easy as it gets, so they dont miss a note. Im a big kid now. [ sighs ] cant sleep . Just a lot on my mind. I cant sleep either. It only gets tougher with age. Mom, what . Well, knowing progressive can protect your home, auto, and business should help you relax. Good, because i could use a good nights sleep me too. Dyknow how early the Chimney Sweep gets up every day . Wait, is this all a dream . Why would jamie be in my dream . I am americas biggest spokesperson debatable. I said biggest well, hes got you there. Get to kohls for a headstart. Debatable. I said biggest on finding gifts, deals and holiday feels get 25 off adidas. Plus, kohls rewards members save extra on toys. And cozy home finds. Then take 20 off some of your gifts. And earn kohls cash. Kohls. Looking for a smarter way to mop . Introducing the new swiffer powermop. An allinone cleaning tool that gives you a mop and bucket clean in half the time. Our new cleaning pad has hundreds of scrubbing strips that absorb and lock dirt away, and it has a 360degree swivel head that goes places a regular mop just cant. So, you can clean your home faster than ever. Dont mop harder, mop smarter, with the new swiffer powermop. Were stunned will smith, one of the worlds biggest movie stars, had just slapped chris rock during a live broadcast of the Academy Awards ceremony how unusual for will, a guy who i mean, on that kind of stage to do something so insane. Absolutely. Its totally out of character. Its not him whatsoever do you know why he hit him . You know, its not my journey. Its not my story to tell. But jada was at the center of the storm that night a storm that only played out behind the scenes. For viewers, the show continued without missing a beat i know it could look really strange. But when Something Like that happens mmhmm. The trauma response can be, lets just get back to normal. Lets just get back to normal. So we were just trying to get back to normal did anyone ever ask will to to leave . No. Mmmm no. Then, in a surreal tv moment, less than an hour later will was back on stage. And the oscar goes to will smith. This time to celebrate. Emotional and teary, he offered a brief apology, but not to chris rock i want to apologize to the academy. I want to apologize to all my fellow nominees. He also seemed to explain why he reacted violently love will make you do crazy things um what he was doing was saying to everybody around the world was, i did this for her i needed to protect her. Thats what he was saying. As jada and will made their way to an after party, social media was already buzzing. Most comments were overwhelmingly against will. By morning, the story was everywhere this morning everybody is talking about that onstage slap the expected and unexpected moments of the oscars were back in full swing. Will issued a long statement, this time apologizing to chris but the damage was already done. And soon he was under fire from all directions, including late night tv america may be divided. But it was kind of nice for all of us to come together and say holy crap at the same time and to jadas surprise, she was also blamed. You became the bad guy mm, yeah. Look what jada made him do jada rolled her eyes, and look what he did. He ran up there and hit chris. Yeah. Poor will. Thats what the narrative became yeah. My honest opinion about that is that narrative had more to do with the false narrative that i helped to create on the red table. So poor will because of of the the adulterous wife yeah. Who forced him to go to the table and sit there. You know what i mean and now look at what shes done she has the power with an eye roll to make him go up and slap somebody on stage. The Media Coverage continued for weeks. Some called for wills oscar to be revoked, while others wanted him arrested for assault neither happened but there were consequences. The academy of Motion Picture arts and sciences banned will from attending the oscars or any Academy Event for ten years. Did you realize what this would mean for his career at that point . I just knew we were in it together mmhmm. No matter what. So you were willing to thats what it is ride or die its a rideordie thing, hoda and whatever comes with it jada and will have not spoken with chris rock since that night. But months later, will released this video on social media explaining that he tried ive reached out to chris, and the message that came back is that hes not ready to talk and when he is he will reach out. Chris rock declined to comment for nearly a year until his new netflix special came out, called chris rock selective outrage. Will smith practices selective outrage. Everybody that really knows knows i had nothing to do with that i didnt have any entanglements. These kinds of moments can do two things they can amplify love, or they can really make you bitter mmhmm. Mmhmm angry, resentful, right weve chosen to really look at this moment and heal it is a philosophy that has guided jada throughout her life, including her unconventional marriage so heres just a straightforward question why not just amicably divorce . Why not just do that we dont want to. Because we love our family, and we love each other. You know, its more of a life partnership. Now, ten years from now, hoda who knows who knows do you all have a deal, though, that if you start dating someone, you tell him or if he starts dating someone, he tells you . Well, you know, right now what were focused on, which has been so beautiful, is deep healing mmhmm. Because of everything thats transpired. Now, what happens after that, i dont know yet is it possible that there would be a full reconciliation you know, hes getting old. You know what im saying he getting old who going to be there for him, hoda its going to be me. Its going to be me. You will be there i will be there mmhmm. Thats what we signed up for, hoda i dont know what to tell you. Jada says she has finally found peace, both with her relationship and herself do you on this day, in this moment, feel worthy of love and all the good things that come to you . Thank god, yes. Yeah . You know, its like, through everything that i have been through, hoda you know, its like, what i have been able to discover, you know, about myself, about love, and how, when youre going through such difficulty, thats when you really get to see how much love you have around you. Whats up how are you doing . And jada could see it as we walked through her old stomping grounds. Neighbors from long ago poured into the street to welcome her home were so proud of your success. Thank you thank you. Ive come through a whole lot. Yes and continues to do. Yes yes yes and it helps to set a precedent for the children thats coming along to say you can do this also yeah. Jada did it. How about to hear someone say, im proud of you . Oh oh, its beautiful. At 52 jada now feels she has everything she needs when youre going through the mess, all the riffraff gets stripped away. And you really get to see who you are. You get to see that army of love around you i am so grateful im so grateful. Our thanks to Jada Pinkett Smith for a truly thoughtprovoking conversation her memoir, worthy, is out next week. Now stay tuned for an allnew dateline twohour mystery. Im hoda kotb. For all of us at nbc news, good night. Tonight on dateline the last thing i said to her was, ill see you later. And it just teme