Jada Pinkett and Will Smith
Together: since 1997
Hip-hop rapper and actor Will (of Switch fame) and Jada, who live on Star Island off the coast of Florida with their son and daughter (and Will's son with former wife Sheree Zampino), are one of America's wealthiest couples.
They met when Jada auditioned to become Will's girlfriend on television sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (incidentally she was rejected because she was too short). They were secretly married in Baltimore in 1997.
Comedian revealed ruefully to All Headlines News Corp that initially Jada never found him funny. 'We were together for two years before she even laughed at something I said! She thinks I'm hilarious now, it just took her some time to work into it, but we connected intellectually... We connected intellectually and worked into the comedic side'.
All of Us a television sitcom produced by the couple is said to mirror the Smith relationship. The couple have always talked quite openly to the media about their marriage. Will told Entertainment News Network that the secret was: 'Really, really good sex. I'm really good at it. (Also) we talk a lot. Sometimes people hear us talking and think we over-talk situations but communication is everything'. And Jada has told an online women's site that they send their kids away to have a steamy weekend together
Jada and Will are determined to have a Hollywood marriage that lasts. Jada told USA Weekend: 'I'm not going to let that happen. I will throw my career away before I let it break up our marriage. I made it clear to Will. I'd throw it away completely'.
And Will has said: 'With Jada I stood up in front of God and my family and said, 'till death us do part'. Divorce cannot be an option. I honestly believe there is no woman for me but Jada. No one can handle me the way she does... Once you feel someone locked in on you, it's no contest. This is it. I can't imagine what anyone else would offer'.
Both Jada and Will -- Will grew up in a rough neighbourhood of Philadelphia and Jada hails from Baltimore's inner city -- have come up the hard way and feel their kids are blessed. Jada told USA Weekend that Will was a tough disciplinarian expecting his kids do social service and be extremely courteous always saying 'Yes, sir' or 'Thank you, mam'.
Earlier slide show: Five monarch films
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