By Bernadette McCadden
In the first season of ‘Hollywood Exes,’ which premiered on VH1 on Wednesday, June 27, viewers will see the real life of Mrs. Sheree Fletcher – not to be mistaken for that of ex-Mrs. Will Smith. In the season premiere, Fletcher goes to dinner with the other cast members, where she meets Andrea Kelly, the recent divorcee of R&B artist, R. Kelly. Kelly desperately seeks advice from the other women about how to get through the hurt of a break-up, and Fletcher encourages her to focus on her kids – something that she did in the wake of her own divorce.
Smith and Fletcher, who divorced in 1995, had one son together, Willard Christopher Smith III, better known as Trey, who is now 19 years old. Looking back on it, Fletcher realizes she had been naïve about marriage, forgetting that it takes hard work to keep a relationship strong. “I went into that marriage with false expectations of what marriage should be. I thought I would be happy every day; I didn’t know there would be up’s and down’s,” she shares. “Based on my situation with Will, I never should’ve filed for divorce. It wasn’t that bad, it wasn’t that serious.”
The divorce took a toll on Fletcher, who now understands that no matter what, after a divorce, you have to give yourself time to mourn. You can’t just ignore the heartache and rush into another relationship. She says, “I went to a therapist; I cried, I cussed and I screamed. It was a safe place. She made me think, and she made me do the hard work necessary to overcome the pain.”
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For Trey’s sake, Fletcher and Smith have remained friends. In fact, the two families have even spent Christmas together, just so Trey wouldn’t feel bad about choosing one parent over the other. So how does Fletcher’s current husband Terrell feel about this arrangement?
“Terrell absolutely loves Will and Jada, and we all get along well. It wouldn’t have worked otherwise. I needed someone who would be on the same page as us and put my child first,” Fletcher explains. “I felt so guilty after the divorce, like I did my child a disservice. I needed to forgive myself and then become a good co-parent with Will to ensure that Trey remained the priority. Terrell completely understood.”
The two have been happily married now for over a decade. Fletcher’s husband is a pastor at Hope International Church in San Diego, California, where she also works. As seen on ‘Hollywood Exes,’ the couple only get to see each other a few days a week because her primary residence is in Los Angeles, not San Diego. “Because we’re in different cities, it can be easy to get caught up in your day, so we always make the effort to stay connected,” she says.
Related: Making the Most of Your Long Distance Relationship
So when they are together, what is their favorite thing to do on a date? Go to the movies!
“We’re simple people,” Fletcher says. “There’s this movie theatre called iPic in Pasadena, California. We drive thirty miles just to go there because they have these big plushy seats, and you push a button to order food! They’ll bring you lamb chops and filet mignon sliders – it’s very gourmet!”
You can catch Fletcher on ‘Hollywood Exes,’ which airs on Wednesdays at 9/8 CT on VH1.
