Will Smith and Sheree Zampino divorced after 3 years, 7 months of marriage. The settlement was reportedly about $9M. Full timeline and prenup facts inside.
Figures are reported estimates. Last updated Oct 2026.
Smith's first marriage ended before his blockbuster era began.
Will Smith, who was then a rapper known as the Fresh Prince, and Sheree Zampino, a Philadelphia-born model and fashion executive, met in the late 1980s and married on 9 May 1992. The couple had a son, Willard Smith III, known as Trey, born in November 1992. Smith had found fame as half of the hip-hop duo DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince and was about to become the star of the sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
Smith's wealth came from music and then from television and film. The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, which began in 1990, made him a household name, and he went on to star in blockbuster films such as Independence Day, Men in Black, Ali and The Pursuit of Happyness. His fees climbed to $20 million or more per film. At the time of the first marriage, however, much of his future wealth lay ahead, and he had also experienced a difficult period with the tax authorities.
The couple married in 1992 and separated in 1995, at the time when Smith was beginning to establish his television and film career. The divorce was finalized in December 1995, after less than four years. Smith married the actress Jada Pinkett in 1997, and they have two children, Jaden and Willow, and have remained married though they have been separated since 2016. Zampino has been a friend of the family.
Smith was reported to have paid Zampino about $9 million over time, but the sum is not documented in detail. The couple agreed to share custody of their son, and Smith agreed to pay child support. The divorce is said to have been amicable, and Zampino has said that she is on good terms with the family.
The sum quoted in lists reflects Smith's later wealth, but at the time of the divorce he was at the start of his career and the sums were much smaller. The short length of the marriage and the couple's good relationship made a rapid settlement possible. The figure of $9 million is therefore best seen as a rough estimate.
Smith's career soared after the divorce, with the success of Bad Boys, Independence Day and Men in Black, and he became a star of the first rank. In 2022, he won the Academy Award for Best Actor for King Richard, but his career was affected by the Oscars incident in which he slapped Chris Rock. He returned to film in later years.
The first Smith divorce is one of the earliest entries on this list in terms of the rise of the participants. It is a good example of how the figure given for a celebrity divorce can reflect later fame. Among its contemporaries, the Willis and Moore case was larger and the Cameron and Hamilton case more dramatic.
Smith's sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air ran for six seasons. His son Trey is a musician and a disc jockey. Smith's marriage to Jada Pinkett Smith has been the subject of considerable media attention. The $9 million figure is an estimate.
Sheree Zampino's reported settlement was about $9 million.
They married in 1992 and divorced in 1995, a marriage of roughly 3 years.
No prenuptial agreement was reported.
Yes, the family is reported to include 1 children.
Reported assets include: Cash, early real estate holdings.
The sum quoted in lists reflects Smith's later wealth, but at the time of the divorce he was at the start of his career and the sums were much smaller. The short length of the marriage and the couple's good relationship made a rapid settlement possible.