Where Is the “Martin” Cast Now? Inside Their Lives Nearly 30 Years After the Sitcom Ended
Where Is the “Martin” Cast Now? Inside Their Lives Nearly 30 Years After the Sitcom Ended
Emily BlackwoodSun, September 6, 2026 at 9:30 AM UTC
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Tichina Arnold, Thomas Mikal Ford, Martin Lawrence, Tisha Campbell and Carl Anthony Payne II in ‘Martin’Credit: Aaron Rapoport/Fox Broadcasting Company/Everett Collection -
Martin starred Martin Lawrence as a Detroit DJ for five seasons in the 1990s
After the sitcom wrapped, he transitioned to film while his costars continued to find success on TV
In 2016, star Thomas Mikal Ford unexpectedly died after an aneurysm burst inside his abdomen
Though Martinonly aired for five seasons, its characters have endured for decades.
Lawrence, who played the titular lead, told Forbes that he didn’t fully grasp the Fox sitcom’s staying power until 2017, when the series was celebrated during VH1’s Hip Hop Honors.
“That’s when I knew, I said, ‘Wow, we had something special,’ ” he said in June 2022, noting that the series was still airing on VH1 and BET at the time. “And so for me, if you ask me, ‘Did I know? Or that it would go 30 years?’ I honestly will tell you, ‘No, I had no idea, I had no clue.’ ”
And the Martin universe is still expanding. In September 2026, Tommy Davidson reprised his fan-favorite character for the Paramount+ spinoff The Varnell Hill Show. Lawrence’s role as executive producer (and a brief cameo as Martin Payne) is just one of many he’s taken on since the ‘90s sitcom ended.
So what has he and the rest of the ensemble been up to? Here’s everything to know about where the cast of Martin is now, nearly 30 years after the show wrapped.
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Martin Lawrence as Martin Payne
Martin Lawrence in ‘Martin’ ; Martin Lawrence in 2026Credit: Peacock; Julian Hamilton/FilmMagic
Lawrence may have starred as the outspoken Detroit radio DJ at the center of Martin for five years, but they share little more than a first name.
“I’m so not that guy from the sitcom,” he told GQin January 2020. Still, the actor noted that there was one trait they had in common, “The way he loves his lady, Gina [Tisha Campbell], and his friends ... the real Martin is like that.”
After Martin ended, the actor shifted to the big screen, finding success in the 2000 comedy Big Momma’s House — which spawned two sequels — and the Bad Boys franchise, per IMDb.
He also continued performing stand-up and received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in April 2023, an honor he told Variety made him feel “respected” and “shown love.”
Off-screen, Lawrence is dad to three daughters: Jasmin, whom he shares with ex-wife Patricia Southall, and Iyanna and Amara, whom he shares with ex-wife Shamicka Gibbs.
In April 2026, he added another title — grandfather — when Jasmin and her husband, Eddie Murphy’s son Eric Murphy, welcomed their first child, daughter Ari Skye.
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Tisha Campbell as Gina Waters-Payne
Tisha Campbell on ‘Martin’ ; Tisha Campbell in 2026Credit: Peacock; Gary Gershoff/Getty
Playing Martin’s level-headed girlfriend-turned-wife was just one of many iconic sitcom roles Campbell has held in her career.
She went on to star as Janet “Jay” Kyle opposite Damon Wayans on ABC’s My Wife and Kids, which ran for five seasons and earned her an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series, per her IMDb.
The actress then appeared in other shows like Dr. Ken and Uncoupled — the latter which she told PEOPLE in February 2026 was one of her “favorite things” she’s ever done — and later pivoted to a career in stand-up comedy with her 2025 Dayum Gina! Tour.
Though she called stand-up “the hardest genre” during an appearance on Sherri, Campbell said she “absolutely” loved it.
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Campbell shares two sons, Xen and Ezekiel, with her ex-husband, actor Duane Martin. Her experience raising Xen, who was diagnosed with autism, also inspired her 2026 memoir, The A Word: A Mother’s Journey Through Autism and Love.
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Thomas Mikal Ford as Tommy Strawn
Thomas Mikal Ford in ‘Martin’ ; Thomas Mikal Ford in 2016Credit: Peacock; Paras Griffin/Getty
Thomas Mikal Ford played Tommy Strawn, Martin’s best friend whose mysterious employment status inspired the recurring gag, “You ain’t got no job, Tommy!”
Campbell ended the uncertainty in a March 2016 interview on the Don’t Be Scared podcast, pointing to a hint in an early episode that Tommy worked with kids, per Slate.
After Martin, Ford joined New York Undercover as Lt. Malcolm Barker and later had a recurring role on The Parkers. He voiced Mr. Webb on The Proud Familyand briefly hosted Bill Bellamy’s Who’s Got Jokes?.
Ford died at the age of 52 on Oct. 12, 2016, when an aneurysm burst inside his abdomen. He was survived by his wife Gina Sasso.
A few years later, his Martin costars honored his memory during their 2022 reunion special, which they dedicated to the late actor.
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Carl Anthony Payne II as Cole Brown
Carl Anthony Payne II in ‘Martin’ ; Carl Anthony Payne II in 2024Credit: Peacock; Unique Nicole/Getty
After wrapping his role as Martin’s lovably clueless friend Cole Brown, Carl Anthony Payne II continued working steadily on TV and the big screen, with roles in Rock Me Baby, For Richer or Poorer and The Messenger, per his IMDb.
In 2020, he joined Nickelodeon’s Young Dylan as Myles Wilson, while also expanding his work behind the camera.
Payne has directed episodes of Young Dylan and House of Payne, telling KOLORin July 2021 that it was “a natural progression” he looked forward to doing more of.
The actor has been married since 1992, per Fox 5.
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Tichina Arnold as Pam James
Tichina Arnold on ‘Martin’ ; Tichina Arnold in 2026Credit: Peacock; Michael Tullberg/Getty
After trading insults with Martin as Gina’s quick-witted best friend, Tichina Arnold went on to another memorable sitcom role as Rochelle on Everybody Hates Chris from 2005 to 2009, per her IMDb.
She later starred on Survivor’s Remorse before joining CBS’ The Neighborhood as Tina Butler in 2018, a role that also led to her directorial debut on the series.
Off-screen, Arnold is mom to daughter Alijah, whom she shares with ex Carvin Haggins.
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