Will Smith has opened up about a surprising chapter in his personal life, admitting he “fell in love” with his Six Degrees of Separation co-star, Stockard Channing, shortly after marrying his first wife, Sheree Zampino.
In his 2021 memoir, Will, the actor revealed that his intense method acting for the 1993 film led to an emotional connection with Channing, who played his character’s love interest.
Smith stayed in character as con artist Paul Poitier even off-set, which he acknowledged created tension in his marriage to Zampino.
“She’d married a guy named Will Smith and now she was living with a guy named Paul Poitier,” Smith wrote, reflecting on the strain it placed on their relationship.
He added, “During shooting, I fell in love with Stockard Channing. After the film wrapped, I found myself desperately yearning to see and speak to Stockard.”
Despite his feelings, Smith emphasized that his relationship with Channing remained professional. The couple separated in 1995, and Smith later married Jada Pinkett Smith in 1997.
This isn’t the first time Smith has discussed the impact of method acting on his personal life. In a 2015 interview with Esquire, he described the experience as his “last foray into Method acting,” noting how it blurred the lines between reality and fiction.
Smith’s candid revelations offer a glimpse into the complexities of balancing personal relationships with the demands of Hollywood.
