Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith were photographed together Saturday in Malibu, marking their first public outing in about 10 months as the couple continue to publicly navigate a long-running separation. The pair left celebrity restaurant Nobu and were seen driving off in a white Lamborghini.
The 56-year-old actor smiled as he left the restaurant alongside Pinkett Smith, 53. He wore a short-sleeved white shirt, khaki shorts and a white cap; she wore a nude-colored strapless ensemble with a hood and accessorized with gold jewelry and open-toed sandals. Photographs show the two heading to the restaurant valet and getting into the vehicle together.
The appearance comes amid an arrangement the couple have described publicly in recent years in which they remain legally married but have lived separately. In October 2023, Pinkett Smith told NBC's Today that the couple had been separated since about 2016 but had not divorced. She said she had made a promise that there would never be a reason for them to get a divorce and that they would work through whatever arose.
Their relationship drew intense public attention in 2020 after Pinkett Smith acknowledged an "entanglement" with singer August Alsina. The interview was filmed for her Facebook Watch series Red Table Talk, during which the couple discussed the status of their marriage and issues that led to their separation. Both have previously said they maintain ties and family connections despite living in separate homes.
Sources speaking to People magazine earlier this year described the arrangement as a form of coexisting lives: "Call it what you want. They are living their own lives but haven't completely severed ties," one insider said. Another source told the outlet the pair "are still together" but "have had separate homes for years." The couple, who married in 1997, are parents to Jaden, 27, and Willow, 24.
The outing also took place as the pair have renewed professional collaboration. This week their entertainment company Westbrook signed a first-look filmmaking deal with Paramount, which the studio said will focus on "global, four-quadrant theatrical movies" with franchise potential. Paramount said two films are already in development under the pact: Sugar Bandits, adapted from Chuck Hogan's novel Devils in Exile, and Rabbit Hole, written by Jon Spaihts. Variety reported that Westbrook will be headquartered on the Paramount lot in Hollywood.
Paramount and Westbrook described the agreement as a commercial partnership that positions both Smith and Pinkett Smith in developing roles across upcoming film projects. People involved in the deal said Smith is expected to star in some projects, while Pinkett Smith will take on producing duties.
The move follows a period of professional strain for Smith after his 2022 onstage assault of comedian Chris Rock during the Academy Awards, an episode that drew widespread attention and led to public apologies from Smith. The incident overshadowed awards-season successes that year and affected some industry opportunities. Since then, Smith has taken steps toward a gradual return to the public eye, including appearing at screenings and starting a U.K. tour earlier this year. He has also released promotional clips that drew online scrutiny, with some viewers suggesting parts of one recent tour video appeared to use artificial-intelligence-generated footage.
At a screening earlier this year, Smith spoke about Pinkett Smith in personal terms, saying he had always felt supported by her and calling her "one of the most gangsta ride-or-dies" he had known, remarks reported by Entertainment Tonight.
The couple's most recent joint red-carpet appearance before Saturday occurred in May 2024, when they attended the premiere of Smith's film Bad Boys: Ride or Die. They were last publicly photographed together in November 2024 during a date-night outing in Los Angeles.
News of the pair's public reunion for a business venture and their appearance in Malibu arrives as studios continue to pursue franchise-building and talent-led deals. Paramount's agreement with Westbrook was announced as the studio moves forward following a major merger and a series of content-focused deals. Westbrook previously produced titles including Emancipation (2022), King Richard (2021) and the Bad Boys franchise, projects that have featured Smith in acting and producing roles.
Representatives for Smith and Pinkett Smith did not immediately respond to requests for comment about Saturday's outing or the couple's personal arrangements. Paramount and Westbrook issued statements about the first-look deal, describing it as a strategic move to develop theatrical films and to place Westbrook on the studio lot for production collaboration.
The Malibu appearance underscores the couple's continuing public profile as they balance family life, individual careers and a high-profile business partnership while maintaining a private arrangement they have described as separated but legally married.