Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith, married for 26 years, hold one of Hollywood's most enduring unions. The celebrity couple has enjoyed multiple award victories and raised three children Jaden and Willow, along with Smith's eldest son, Trey, from his first marriage to Sheree Zampino. While their marriage began in 1997 and they appeared to stand the test of time, Pinkett Smith has revealed that they have actually been separated since 2016. Let's take a look at the relationship timeline of Jada and Will Smith.

Will and Jada met during her audition for The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, but she didn't land the role. At that time, Will was married to Sheree Zampino, with whom he has a son named Trey.

The divorce between Smith and Sheree Zampino was finalised on December 10, 1995. During an episode of Red Table Talk, the American actor discussed it as "the toughest experience in his adult life".

Will Smith made his marriage proposal to Jada Pinkett and they tied the on December 31, 1997. Their discreet wedding was held at a Baltimore hotel on New Year's Eve, in Jada's hometown.

Will and Jada welcomed their first child, Jaden Smith on July 8, 1998.

On Halloween night in 2000, the couple's daughter Willow Smith was born.

On August 14, 2013, Jada addressed the rumours on Facebook about her and Will having an open marriage. She explained that she and Will could both do whatever they wanted because they trusted each other. She emphasized that it didn't signify an open relationship but rather a mature one.

On June 3, 2015, Jada Pinkett Smith appeared on Howard Stern's show and talked about her views on relationships. She mentioned that she didn't believe a man wouldn't be attracted to other women.

Due to the rumours surrounding the couple's separation, Will Smith posted on Facebook that he and Jada Pinkett Smith had no plans to divorce.

Will and Jada's separation was a well-kept secret. Smith said during their eventual Red Table Talkthat they decided to spend some time apart to find their own happiness.

August Alsina, the singer from New Orleans, attended the BET Awards with Jada, and they appeared to be a couple.

From June 28 to July 5, 2015, the 43-year-old actress was present at the Wireless Festival in London to support Jaden and Willow, who were both giving performances.

Will Smith posted an emotional Instagram to celebrate his 20th wedding anniversary with Jada on December 21, 2017.In the post, he expressed, "Love is like tending a garden... I've come to understand the importance of helping you flourish into your authentic self rather than imposing my own fragile ego's desires”.

On the first episode of Red Table Talk in May 2018, titled "Motherhood," Pinkett Smith surprised viewers by welcoming a surprising guest: Smith's former spouse, Sheree Zampino. The two women maintained a high level of respect during their open conversation.

After over 20 years together, the couple made it clear in a 2018 podcast interview on TIDAL's Rap Radar that they moved beyond the confines of traditional relationships. Smith described to Pinkett Smith as his “life partner,” not his wife.

To keep her promise to her husband, Pinkett Smith faced her fear of heights and went skydiving with her partner in Dubai on his 50th birthday.

The Smiths travelled to Southern California to celebrate Jaden's debut at the yearly music festival on April 2019.

In his memoir, “WILL”, Smith shared many details about his career and upbringing. He also discussed his relationship with Pinkett Smith, explaining 'When my divorce from Sheree was still pending, Jada and I decided to keep our relationship private. We were both in the public eye, and we thought it was for the best.'

The world was shocked when Will Smith walked up to the stage at the Academy Awards, where Chris Rock was the host, and slapped him in the face. Known as the global slap incident, this happened right after Rock made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith's appearance.

Pinkett Smith talked on The Today Show before her memoir 'Worthy' came out. She said that she and Will Smith have been separated for years. They're still married on paper but act like they're divorced. Pinkett Smith didn't talk about it earlier because they didn't know how to explain it to people.