Red Table Talk, an Emmy-winning talk show, has sparked a lot of significant conversations about Will and Jada Pinkett Smith, their family, their marriage, and everything that came before.
One such piece of information is the identity of the early 1990s partner of Pinkett Smith. They were taking their relationship seriously enough that she even invited her ex-boyfriend over for the holidays. The Queen Cleopatra actress has often opened up about her past life in a number of Red Table Talk episodes, discussing previous relationships, including her time with August Alsina.
Early in the 1990s, there was also talk of her romance with actor, Wesley Snipes. However, besides all these, do you know who the first serious boyfriend Pinkett Smith committed to was?
Who Was Jada Pinkett Smith’s First Serious Boyfriend?
At the Red Table Talk, Jada Pinkett Smith revealed some unexpected information when she said she once dated former NBA player, Grant Hill.
In the 1990s, some of the NBA’s most well-known players had their best chance to become household names. Simply ask Pinkett Smith. Yes, she admitted dating former NBA player, Grant Hill in a 2018 episode of Red Table Talk.
The Duke University athlete and Pinkett Smith had a two-year relationship. The three hosts of the show were asked by a viewer to name the first boyfriend that she brought home for the holidays to meet her family. To which, Pinkett Smith responded:
“Grant Hill.”
The mother of two further added:
“He was the first boyfriend I brought home for the holidays.”
The actress, who is currently married to Will Smith, swiftly added that Hill and his lovely wife, Canadian singer-songwriter, Tamia, are “happily married” after her prior blunt response.
“Happy holidays! Yes, happy holidays to that beautiful couple.”
Pinkett Smith’s mother and co-host, Adrienne Banfield-Norris also added:
“Yes and they have a beautiful family.”
For the unversed, Grant dated Set It Off actress from 1993 to 1995.
Jada Pinkett Smith and Grant Hill Have Moved On
Many people are aware that Jada Pinkett Smith married Will Smith in 1997, and that the couple has two kids together: Willow and Jaden Smith. The Pursuit of Happyness actor and Sheree Zampino had a son together, Trey Smith, during their first marriage.
The 54-year-old actor once told Oprah Magazine:
“I [Will Smith] had a realization I was not with the person I was supposed to be with. I was sitting in a stall and I was crying and laughing uncontrollably, and I knew [Jada] was the woman I was supposed to be with, but I was never getting divorced…I went back out, sat down with Sheree and started going back on with my life.”
Meanwhile, Grant Hill met Tamia, his wife of over 20 years, about a year after he and Pinkett Smith parted ways. He once told Essence:
“When we first started seeing each other that first two or three months, I kind of knew that this was the one.”
Although it is unknown what caused their breakup, both Hill and Pinkett Smith have now found satisfying relationships after their split. The actress once told People magazine:
“I never wanted to get married,–But my mother was like, ‘You have to get married’ – she’s so old school – and Will wanted a family. So I said, ‘All right, maybe it’s something I should do.”
She went on to say that although she loved Will Smith, she was not interested in marriage because of the people around them pressuring her to do so.
“I had never seen a happy marriage,–I adored Will, I f——- adored him, but I just didn’t want to be married.”
The couple has openly admitted that their relationship needs work and they are actively trying to repair it. They are parents to two kids.
Source- Essence
