Exclusive: Jada Pinkett Smith says Will Smith hadn't called her 'wife' in a long time preceding Oscars slap

When Will Smith slapped Chris Rock on stage at the 2022 Academy Awards, the entire audience was stunned, including Jada Pinkett Smith.

During the ceremony, Rock mocked Pinkett Smith, who has experienced hair loss due to alopecia, for her shaved head. Smith then ascended the stage to approach Rock, slapped him and returned to his seat.

Almost two years later, Pinkett Smith is revealing for the first time how she felt hearing Rock’s jab about her appearance. She addresses the joke and unexpected altercation in her upcoming memoir, “Worthy,” out Oct. 17, and in an NBC News prime-time special with Hoda Kotb.

In an exclusive clip from the intimate sit-down interview that airs in full Oct. 13 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on NBC, Kotb points out that Pinkett Smith appeared to be bothered by Rock’s remark and rolled her eyes.

Pinkett Smith explains her reaction, saying, “I did that eye roll not so much for me — and I think this is really important — but the fact that there could be a jab at alopecia.”

But her focus immediately shifted to Smith after he slapped Rock and shouted from his seat, “Keep my wife’s name out your f---ing mouth!”

Like the rest of the live audience and those watching at home at the time, Pinkett Smith says she was surprised, but for a different reason.

“First of all, I’m really shocked, because mind you, I’m not there. We haven’t called each other husband and wife in a long time,” she tells Hoda.

She recalls being confused at the time. Pinkett Smith adds, “I’m really worried for Will because I don’t know what’s going on.”

In another exclusive clip from the interview released earlier this week, Pinkett Smith shares with Hoda that she and Smith, who wed in 1997, have been separated since 2016.

She says they decided seven years ago to live “completely separate lives.” She opens up about the status of their marriage to Hoda and in her upcoming memoir.

As for why the former couple haven’t publicly revealed this news until now, Pinkett Smith says they weren’t “ready yet.”

“Still trying to figure out between the two of us how to be in partnership. ... In regards to, how do we present that to people? We hadn’t figured that out,” she explains.

She reveals that their marriage had been on the rocks for years. In 2016, she says they were “exhausted with trying” to make their marriage work.

“I think we were both kind of just still stuck in our fantasy of what we thought the other person should be,” she adds.

Although they are separated, she clarifies that the pair are not legally divorcing.

“I made a promise that there will never be a reason for us to get a divorce. We will work through ... whatever. I just haven’t been able to break that promise,” she shares.

Jada Pinkett Smith's full interview with Hoda Kotb airs Oct. 13 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on NBC. Follow along on TODAY.com for live updates.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com