Will Smith has declared his unconditional love for Jada Pinkett Smith as he and their kids joined the actress for her book talk at the Enoch Pratt Free Library in Baltimore.
Jada is a native of Baltimore and her new memoir, “Worthy,” has taken over headlines the past few days as the actress revealed for the first time publicly that she and her actor husband, Will Smith, separated in 2016 and have lived apart since then.
That didn’t stop Will and his two kids with Pinkett Smith, Jaden and Willow, and also his son Trey Smith, whom he shares with ex-wife Sheree Zampino, from joining Jada on stage near the end of her discussion.
Attendees cheered loudly when Will Smith appeared at the event.
As her family joined her on stage, Jada said: “I guess the talk’s over.”
Will Smith was then given 13 minutes to speak and he spent the time hailing Jada.
He gushed to the crowd about Jada and the sacrifices she made during their union.
Will referred to their marriage as a “sloppy public experiment in unconditional love.”
“I just really wanted to come out and just be here and hold it down for you the way you have held it down for me,” Will Smith said as Jada hugged him.
Will said their relationship was tumultuous and “brutiful” (a portmanteau of brutal and beautiful). He said they got together in their 20s, a time when Smith said he had huge dreams and was “on fire with a vision”.
He added, “And as I stand here before you today, I am happier than I’ve ever been in my entire life. I have achieved every single thing I have ever wanted in my entire life. There is not one thing left that I desire in this world — all of the awards, all of the money, the family — everything I’ve ever dreamed.
“And those dreams were largely built on the foundation of Jada’s sacrifices. There were many times when Jada put her career aside so I could follow the dreams of mine.”
He also credited Jada Pinkett Smith for maintaining a close relationship with his ex-wife Zampino, and putting him and their family “before herself” so all the kids could spend time together.
“Can you show up and love somebody for the rest of your life, even when you don’t agree with them?” Will Smith asked.
He then referred to Pinkett Smith as his “best friend” and pledged to do just that.
He said: “Jada is the best friend I have ever had on this planet and I am going to show up for her and support her for the rest of my life.”
Will Smith then told a story about how he had recently been in Papua New Guinea, where his phone was off, and landing in Sydney to an onslaught of messages about his wife’s recent interviews, with people giving their opinions about his family.
“Jada Pinkett — she said what?” he joked, miming reading his notifications.
Will ended his speech with a shoutout to his wife’s hometown.
“Thank you all for being a place for Jada to find her voice,” Smith said. “Baltimore, coming home to you is really beautiful.”
Jada Pinkett Smith smiled quietly throughout his speech before finally tapping him gently on the back and indicating it was time to end his speech.
“Time is up, babe,” she said.
