Will Smith Says He 'Struggled for Years' with Oldest Son Trey in Tearful Tribute

Will Smith says he "struggled for years" with his oldest son Trey following the divorce from his mother, Sheree Zampino, in 1995.

In an emotional video posted to his Instagram Tuesday, Smith, 50, teared up while speaking about his now "restored" relationship with his 26-year-old son.

"It has not always been like this between Trey & I," the "Bright" star captioned the post. "We STRUGGLED FOR YEARS after my Divorce from his Mother. He felt betrayed & abandoned. It is a Wild Blessing to recover & restore a Loving Relationship with My Beautiful Son!"

Smith shared the video of himself talking in his hotel room in Abu Dhabi, where he and Trey have been spending quality time at the 2018 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Watch the touching Instagram video below.

"So I'm in Abu Dhabi at the F1," Smith began in the clip. "I brought my son Trey. We been hanging and usually I take my kids separately on stuff just so they have their individual daddy time."

"So we been doing this, me and him hanging out at the F1," he continued. "And he just hit me with, 'You know what dad? I just realized you're not just my dad.' He paused and he said, ''I'm pretty sure you're my best friend.'"

Smith's eyes noticeably teared up as he continued, "I was like, 'Whoo. Yeah, man. Probably. Probably.'"

The "Aladdin" star married Trey's mother, Sheree Zampino, in 1992. Although they divorced in 1995, Smith still remains friends with Zampino. In fact, he recently shared throwback photos with the couple and a baby Trey for Zampino's birthday, calling the actress the "best baby mama ever."

Smith's wife of 21 years, Jada Pinkett Smith also posted a tribute for Zampino's milestone. Smith and Jada co-parent Trey, along with their two children, Jaden, 20, and Willow, 18.

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