Why Will Smith no longer says he and Jada Pinkett Smith are married

Will Smith no longer says he and Jada Pinkett Smith are married, but there's an interesting reason behind the decision.

The Hollywood couple and their relationship is in the spotlight again after Will Smith slapped Chris Rock at the Oscar Awards ceremony for a joke about his wife Jada.

In a interview on TIDAL's Rap Radar podcast in July 2018, Will explained that their bond now transcends marriage, and they prefer to refer to themselves as 'life partners'.

He said: 'We don’t even say we’re married anymore. We refer to ourselves as life partners, where you get into that space where you realise you are literally with somebody for the rest of your life.'

The actor and rapper goes on to explain that they both are in it for life and there's nothing that could 'break' their relationship.

'There’s no deal breakers. There’s nothing she could do — ever. Nothing that would break our relationship. She has my support till death and it feels so good to get to that space', he said.

The couple have been married for twenty years, since they tied the knot in December 1997, and have since welcomed two children - Jaden, 19 and Willow, 17.

Will also has a 25-year-old son, Trey, from a prior marriage.

The Suicide Squad was talking about his marriage in response to divorce rumours which every now and again will come up in the press.

Jada has also opened up about she feels about their relationship during an appearance on the radio program Sway in the Morning in June, where she said divorce will never be on the cards for them.

'We are family. That's never going down. We are family. Take out all that whole marriage, relationship crap, at the end of the day, Will and I are family. I am going to hold him down, doesn't matter', she said.

'All that relationship [stuff] and what people think ideas of a husband, partner and all that, man, whatever. At the end of the day, that is a man that can rely on me for the rest of his life, period', she said.