Will Smith is opening up about the startling revelations made by his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, in her upcoming memoir, “Worthy.”
The 55-year-old Academy Award-winning actor shared his thoughts in a letter to British podcaster and life coach Jay Shetty, which was read aloud during a recent episode of Shetty’s podcast, “On Purpose.”
“Finishing the last page of ‘Worthy’ was an emotional rollercoaster,” Smith wrote. “Even after spending the majority of my life with you, your story still had the power to surprise and move me in unexpected ways.”
He added, “Hearing family stories at a barbecue is one thing, but experiencing your life’s journey through the lens of this book was truly overwhelming.”
Smith, who married Pinkett Smith in 1997, expressed a largely positive sentiment towards his wife and even conveyed remorse for his own actions during their quarter-century-long marriage.
“Your courage in digging deep is commendable,” he noted in the letter. “Had I read this book three decades ago, I would have embraced you more often. Let the hugging begin now. Welcome to the world of authors. My love for you is boundless. Now go relax with some Merlot.”
Scheduled for release on October 17, “Worthy” contains several shocking details about the couple’s relationship, including their separation since 2016 and Pinkett Smith’s deep emotional connection to the late Tupac Shakur.
After Shetty finished reading the letter, Pinkett Smith burst into laughter on the podcast. “He knows full well I can’t drink Merlot!” she exclaimed. “That’s just one of the many reasons I can’t leave him.”
Tearing up, she continued, “Hearing him say he would have hugged me more is his way of saying he would have been more attentive and understanding.”
Smith broke his silence on the memoir in an email to the New York Times, stating that the book served as an eye-opener, revealing facets of Pinkett Smith’s resilience, intelligence, and empathy that he hadn’t fully appreciated before.
“When you’ve been with someone for over half your life, it’s easy to become emotionally numb to their complexities and unique qualities,” the “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” star wrote.
Despite their ongoing separation, the couple, parents to Jaden, 25, and Willow, 22, have no intentions of divorcing.
“I vowed that divorce would never be an option for us,” Pinkett Smith declared in a recent NBC interview with Hoda Kotb. “We’ll work through whatever comes our way, and so far, I’ve kept that promise.”
