"The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" himself, Will Smith, is a rapper and actor who impeccably
transitioned from music to movies. He's been nominated for two Academy Awards,
won four Grammys, and established himself as an A-lister since his days as a teen star.
Despite his massive celebrity status, Smith has humble beginnings as the second oldest of
four children to his school board employee mother and refrigeration engineer father.
Smith reportedly told Essence magazine that his father, Willard C. Smith,
was tough but not tyrannical while he was growing up. However, the 53-year-old actor
opened up about the strained relationship he had with his father in his new autobiography "Will."
He told Facebook Watch's "Red Table Talk" in 2020 that he grew up in an abusive household. Smith
discussed how this caused him to develop feelings of inadequacy and unhealthy defense mechanisms. It
also affected his relationships with women as he believed their disapproval meant a loss of love.
According to USA Today, the relationship between Smith and his father was complicated,
to say the least. Though he was there for every important event and milestone in his life,
Smith stated that his father was also a violent drunk. People magazine describes
a specific childhood incident where Smith, who was 9 at the time, witnessed his father punch
his mother in the head so hard she collapsed and bled. He wrote that it forever changed his life,
and he feels like he failed his mother for not standing up to his father.
Smith also stated that all of his successes since then are, quote, "a string of apologies" to her.
According to Page Six, his parents eventually separated when he was a teen and divorced in 2000.
Most shockingly, Smith confessed to wanting to take his father's life over this incident,
according to CNN. When his father became ill with cancer several years later,
Smith cared for him, and one night, he wheeled him from his bedroom to the bathroom.
Here, he recalls wanting to throw his elderly father down the stairs to avenge his mother.
Of course, he didn't, and his father eventually passed away in 2016.
Nonetheless, it seems that he is still healing from his trauma. Smith later told "Red Table
Talk" that fatherhood — specifically his relationship with his daughter, Willow — has
helped him with the process. He believes it's the only female relationship he hasn't ruined.
Will Smith married his first wife, Sheree Zampino, in 1992. They met on the set of
the sitcom "A Different World," which starred his current wife, Jada Pinkett. On that fateful day,
Will had gone to the set to see Jada, but he instead met Sheree, who was visiting a friend.
They went on to have a son named Trey, but the marriage was short-lived, and they divorced in
1995. Why did it end so soon? Showbiz CheatSheet notes that Sheree said they were simply too young
and the responsibility was too much. Smith's growing career and success were also a factor.
However, she was the one to file for divorce, as he allegedly had no intention to do so.
Smith opened up about his divorce on "Red Table Talk" and said that for him, it was
the ultimate failure and the worst thing that happened to him in adulthood. He went on to say,
"I've been hurt a lot in my adult life,
but I don't think anything touches the failure of getting divorced from my 2-year-old son's mother."
"With Trey, that was a really difficult time… love you, say love you...love you."
Despite the heartbreak, he later married Jada in 1997. Regarding being known as Smith's ex-wife,
Sheree told Entertainment Tonight in 2020 that it could be much worse
and that she could be, in her words, "connected to Charles Manson."
Even if she isn't a fan of the label, she acknowledges that the marriage is part of
her history. As for Will and Jada, they are still married and have two children,
Jaden and Willow. However, their marriage has continually made headlines,
as both have been open about their rocky relationship over the years.
If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic abuse,
you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233.
You can also find more information, resources, and support at their website.