Jada Pinkett Smith makes surprise Chris Rock claim after confirming Will Smith split

Jada Pinkett Smith shocked fans on Wednesday after revealing she and Will Smith have actually been secretly separated for seven years, following years of speculation about the pair's marriage.

The actress, 52, has now revealed Chris Rock, who was famously slapped by Will at the 2022 Oscars for making a joke about her, tried to ask her out when he found out she and Will were no longer together.

"Basically, he was like, 'I’d love to take you out'," she told People of her Madagascar co-star. "And I was like, 'What do you mean?' He was like, 'Well, aren’t you and Will getting a divorce?' I was like, 'No. Chris, those are just rumours'.

"He was appalled. And he profusely apologised and that was that."

RELATED:

• The Block's Shaynna Blaze sets the record straight on 'secret' rival TV network gig

• Home and Away's James Stewart opens up about shock funeral promo

• SAS Australia viewers slam hostage challenge as 'poor timing' amid Israel-Gaza conflict

'A skit'

Speaking about the Oscars incident, Jada admitted she thought "it was a skit" at first.

Chris was hosting the Oscars when he made a joke about Jada's shaved head, with Will walking on stage and slapping him, telling the actor, "Keep my wife's name out of your f***ing mouth."

The slap shocked the audience and viewers at home, with Will later winning Best Actor for his film King Richard.

"From where I was sitting, I couldn’t tell. It didn’t look like Will hit Chris, because, number one, I’d seen Will in the boxing ring with pro fighters — Will’s a heavy-hitter," Jada said. "So when Chris moved, it looked like he ducked or he missed the shot. And when he continued to stand, and then when he continued to walk down to the end of the stage, I was like, ‘There’s no way. There’s no way that Will hit him’.

"It wasn’t until Will started to walk back to his chair that I even realised it wasn’t a skit. I was in as much of a fog as anybody else in that room that night."

Jada added that she understands that comedians make fun of people, but she has had her "feelings hurt" in the past.

"I’ve had my feelings hurt a lot by Chris. But at the end of the day, too, being in the spotlight, it comes with the territory," she said.

SHOP:

• The 'game-changing' hair product that turns frizz into perfect curls

• The acne-clearing clay mask with hundreds of 5-star reviews

• The 'fantastic' sustainable sunglasses you need this spring

'Exhausted with trying'

Jada shared the bombshell that she and Will have been separated for seven years during an appearance on the US Today Show with Hoda Kotb.

"By the time we got to 2016, we were just exhausted with trying," she told the host, before adding she doesn't want to get divorced.

"I made a promise that there will never be a reason for us to get a divorce," Jada added. "We will work through whatever. And I just haven’t been able to break that promise."

Never miss a thing. Sign up to Yahoo Lifestyle’s daily newsletter.

Or if you have a story idea, email us at lifestyle.tips@yahooinc.com.