Will Smith posted an emotional tribute to his oldest son

The relationship between Will Smith and his 26-year-old son, Trey, has come a long way.

The 50-year-old actor posted a video montage Nov. 27 on Instagram in tribute to his oldest son.

Smith was married to Trey’s mother, Sheree Zampino, from 1992 to 1995, and these days, the pair co-parent with Smith’s wife of almost 21 years, Jada Pinkett Smith, with whom he has two other children.

But that wasn’t always the case.

“It has not always been like this between Trey & I,” the caption on Smith’s Instagram read. “We STRUGGLED FOR YEARS after my Divorce from his Mother. He felt betrayed & abandoned.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/BqsdyB3hwzL/

“It is a Wild Blessing to recover & restore a Loving Relationship with My Beautiful Son! @treysmith0011,” Smith wrote.

The “Aladdin” star appeared to get emotional in the video talking about his eldest.

Smith explained that he and Trey were in the United Arab Emirates for the Abu Dhabi Formula One Grand Prix because “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,” Smith said. “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.'”

“I was like, ‘Whew. Yeah, man. Probably. Probably,'” the star said.

Written by Lisa Respers France for CNN.

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