Will Smith Surprises Jada Pinkett-Smith At Baltimore Book Talk

BALTIMORE, MD — In the middle of a Baltimore stop to promote her new memoir, "Worthy," actress Jada Pinkett-Smith was surprised by her husband Will Smith, who praised the sacrifices she's made throughout a relationship he described as "a sloppy public experiment in unconditional love."

Pinkett-Smith appeared at the Enoch Pratt Free Library in her hometown of Baltimore on Tuesday to discuss her memoir released Tuesday. CNN's Laura Coates moderated the discussion.

Coates set up Smith's appearance at the event, according to the Baltimore Sun, when she asked, "What did your family think about this book? You know what, actually, why don't I just ask your family? I think they're here. I know your mom is here," Coates said, nodding toward Adrienne Banfield Norris, who sat in the audience.

Coates paused, according to the Sun. "But, is anyone else here?"

Attendees burst into applause when Smith walked onto the stage, the Baltimore Banner reported.

"I just really wanted to come out and just be here and hold it down for you the way you have held it down for me," Smith said before proceeding to pledge lifelong support to Pinkett-Smith just a week after she revealed that the couple had been separated since 2016.

Reports said he spoke for 13 minutes and called their relationship "brutiful," explaining that it was both brutal and beautiful.

"It is a sloppy public experiment in unconditional love," he said, a description that prompted Pinkett Smith to double over in laughter.

Smith continued, according to the Banner: "And as I stand here before you today, I am happier than I've ever been in my entire life. I have achieved every single thing I have ever wanted in my entire life. There is not one thing left that I desire in this world — all of the awards, all of the money, the family — everything I've ever dreamed."

"And those dreams were largely built on the foundation of Jada's sacrifices," he said. "There were many times when Jada put her career aside so I could follow the dreams of mine."

The book by Pinkett-Smith, who first revealed the bombshell news of their separation to NBC's Hoda Kotb, details their marriage, her Hollywood journey, her unconventional parenting style and gives her perspective of Smith infamously slapping Chris Rock during the 2022 Academy Awards ceremony over a joke about her shaved head (Pinkett Smith revealed in 2018 that she had a form of alopecia.)

Pinkett Smith told The Associated Press that she feels free since opening up about the separation.

"It's a weight off my shoulders, honestly," Pinkett Smith said in an AP interview this week. "Ever since the Oscars, it's so interesting how such an intense event can bring you closer together, and I would say that after that, we really dove in and dug in and got to this beautiful place we are now."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.