Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith spent Thanksgiving together.
The 56-year-old actor and ‘The Nutty Professor’ star Jada, 53, announced in late 2023 that they had gone their separate ways years earlier but now it has been claimed that they spent the November holiday watching football with their family. The gathering highlighted the couple’s commitment to maintaining family traditions despite their unconventional relationship status.
“Everyone was in wonderful and very grateful spirits. Jada and Will’s celebration kept going, as it then carried on to Sunday when their hometowns squared off in the big game, when the Philadelphia Eagles played the Baltimore Ravens,” a source told People. The family gathering demonstrated their ability to maintain harmony during special occasions.
“And Will’s team won — which he didn’t let anyone forget!” The Eagles’ victory over the Ravens with a final score of 28-20 added an extra layer of excitement to the family celebration.
The former couple — who tied the knot in 1997 and went on to have Jaden, 26, as well as 24-year-old Willow together — were both active on their social media on the big day. Their social media presence has been closely monitored by fans since their separation announcement, with each post generating significant engagement.
Jada took to Instagram where she claimed she was “grateful” as she gave an update to her millions of followers. Her Instagram account, which boasts over 11 million followers, serves as a platform for personal updates and spiritual insights.
Speaking in a video, she said: “Happy day of thanks and gratitude. I’m sending you all so much love.” The message resonated with her followers, garnering hundreds of thousands of likes and supportive comments.
Meanwhile, Will joked that it had been a “sensitive situation” within the family as their opposing teams Philadelphia Eagles and the Baltimore Ravens went head-to-head for the big game. The friendly rivalry added a lighthearted element to their family gathering.
Despite announcing they had separated in 2016, neither Will nor Jada intend to actually divorce. This arrangement reflects a growing trend among celebrity couples who choose unconventional relationship structures while maintaining family unity.
“It was not a divorce on paper, but it was a divorce,” Jada explained speaking on ‘The Today Show’. Her candid revelations about their relationship have sparked widespread discussions about modern marriage dynamics.
Jada and Will kept their unusual dynamic a secret for years. Their ability to maintain privacy while living in the public eye demonstrated remarkable discretion, considering their high-profile status in Hollywood.
Asked why they chose to adopt this lifestyle, Jada replied: “I think just not being ready yet. Still trying to figure out between the two of us how to be in partnership, and in regards to how do we present that to people, you know? And we hadn’t figured that out.” Their honesty about relationship challenges has resonated with many couples facing similar situations.
Jada also explained they they both felt “exhausted” by their efforts to make their romance work. “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,” she said. Their story has become a prominent example of how relationships can evolve beyond traditional boundaries.
The Thanksgiving reunion demonstrates the couple’s commitment to co-parenting and maintaining family bonds despite their separation. Celebrity relationship experts note that their approach, while unconventional, reflects changing attitudes toward marriage and separation in modern society.
Their continued ability to celebrate holidays together has drawn praise from family therapists, who point to their example as a healthy model for separated couples who prioritize family harmony. The Smith family’s approach to maintaining connections while acknowledging relationship changes has become a notable case study in modern celebrity relationships.
Industry observers note that both Will and Jada have maintained successful careers throughout their relationship evolution, with Will recently completing several major film projects and Jada continuing her work in entertainment and media. Their professional success alongside personal growth has inspired many in similar situations.
