Duane Martin is an American actor, producer, and writer known for a career that spans three decades. Born in Brooklyn, New York, he built his acting career after a short run as a basketball player. Martin gained wide recognition for playing Robert James on All of Us and later for his role in L.A.’s Finest.
His breakout film role came in White Men Can’t Jump. Outside of acting, he also works as a real estate agent. For more than two decades, he was married to actress Tisha Campbell. Today, Martin continues to work in television, including a recurring role on Bel-Air.
Quick Facts
| Category | Detail |
| Full Name | Duane Martin |
| Born | August 11, 1965, Brooklyn, New York City |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | African-American |
| Height | 5 feet 10 inches (73 kg) |
| Occupation | Actor, producer, writer, real estate agent |
| Education | New York University |
| Years Active | 1990 to present |
| Spouse | Tisha Campbell (m. 1996, div. 2020) |
| Partner | Ashley Marie Jones |
| Children | Xen Martin, Ezekiel Martin |
| Net Worth | $500,000 (2026 estimate) |
| @duane_martin |
Martin turned 60 in August 2025. He is often listed as African-American on record, and his marital status today is divorced, though he is currently engaged.
Early Life, Family & Education
Martin grew up in Brooklyn, New York, in a household that kept its family details private. His parents and siblings have never been named publicly, and that has stayed true even as his career grew.
Sports came first for him. Martin attended New York University, where he played NCAA Division III basketball. That college experience gave him the athletic background he would later use on screen. His formal education stopped there, since elementary and high school records were never released.
Basketball Career & the New York Knicks
Before acting, Martin chased a career in the NBA. In 1989, at age 24, he signed with the New York Knicks as an undrafted free agent on a non-guaranteed contract.
That deal never turned into a roster spot. The Knicks cut him before he played in an official NBA game, closing the door on a professional basketball career. Martin walked away from the sport and toward acting almost immediately after.
Acting Career & Filmography
Breakthrough & Early Roles
Martin’s first credited role came in 1990, in the TV movie Moe’s World. He followed it with a small part in Against the Law before landing a real foothold on network television.
That foothold arrived in 1992, when he joined the NBC sitcom Out All Night as Vidal Thomas. The cast included Patti LaBelle and Vivica A. Fox, and the show ran through 1993. The same year, Martin made his film debut in White Men Can’t Jump, playing Willie Lewis alongside Wesley Snipes and Woody Harrelson. His basketball background helped him move convincingly on camera in that sports comedy, which grossed close to $90 million.
He also appeared in a Boyz II Men music video for “I’ll Make Love to You” in 1994, a detail fans still bring up today.
Film Credits
Martin built a steady film career through the 1990s and 2000s. Above the Rim in 1994 cast him as Kyle Lee Watson alongside Tupac Shakur. That same year, he played Jr. Phillips in The Inkwell.
| Year | Film | Role |
| 1992 | White Men Can’t Jump | Willie Lewis |
| 1994 | Above the Rim | Kyle Lee Watson |
| 1994 | The Inkwell | Jr. Phillips |
| 1996 | Down Periscope | Petty Officer Darryl Martin |
| 1997 | Scream 2 | Joel |
| 1998 | Woo | Frankie |
| 1998 | The Faculty | Zeke Tyler |
| 1999 | Any Given Sunday | Willie Beamen’s Agent |
| 2003 | Deliver Us from Eva | Michael |
| 2004 | The Seat Filler | Derrick |
| 2017 | The New Edition Story | Louil Silas Jr. |
The Seat Filler stood out for another reason. Martin co-wrote and produced it, and it was distributed through his own company, The Momentum Experience. It earned roughly $50,000 per screen on release, a strong average by Hollywood standards for a limited theatrical run.
Television Credits
Martin’s television resume is even longer than his film one. He played Duane on two episodes of the original Fresh Prince of Bel-Air between 1993 and 1995, then joined The Wayans Bros. and Living Single as Cole Brown.
His longest-running role came on All of Us, where he played Robert James Sr. across 88 episodes from 2003 to 2007. The UPN and later CW sitcom leaned on his comic timing as a TV reporter navigating family life.
He returned to a dramatic role in 2019 as Detective Ben Baines on L.A.’s Finest, a spin-off of the Bad Boys film franchise starring Jessica Alba and Gabrielle Union. The show ran for 26 episodes before its cancellation after one season.
In between, Martin guest starred on Rita Rocks in 2009 and The Paul Reiser Show in 2011. He also spent several seasons on Real Husbands of Hollywood starting in 2013, a BET parody series with Kevin Hart and Nick Cannon that returned with More Kevin More Problems in 2022. Most recently, he joined Bel-Air as Steven Lewis, campaign manager to Philip Banks.
Awards & Nominations
Martin picked up his first nomination in 1993, for Outstanding Performance in a Children’s Special tied to a CBS Schoolbreak Special. Deliver Us from Eva earned him a nod for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Box Office Movie at the BET Comedy Awards in 2004.
All of Us brought him two more nominations, for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series in 2005 and Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series in 2007.
Producing & Writing Credits
Beyond acting, Martin has writer and producer credits on both Ride or Die in 2003 and The Seat Filler in 2004. Those projects gave him early ownership over content instead of just performing in it.
Current & Upcoming Projects (2025 to 2026)
Bel-Air wrapped its run on Peacock on December 8, 2025, closing out four seasons and 38 episodes. Martin’s character, Steven Lewis, worked as Philip Banks’ campaign manager during his run for Los Angeles District Attorney.
Martin isn’t stepping away from television. In April 2026, Variety reported he had teamed with Bentley Kyle Evans and Harvest Studios for Boo’d Up, a four-episode multi camera comedy. Martin executive produces and stars alongside Carl Anthony Payne, Apryl Jones, and Vanessa Bell Calloway. He is also attached to the BET+ series Angel, alongside Tyler Lepley and Richard T. Jones.
Business Ventures & Entrepreneurship
Martin runs Impact Sports, a sports agency he founded using knowledge from his own brush with pro basketball. The company has represented athletes across the NFL, NHL, and MLB, including names like Bartolo Colon and David Boston.
He also works as a licensed real estate agent, a career path he has kept active alongside acting and producing.
Marriage, Divorce & Children
Marriage to Tisha Campbell
Martin married actress Tisha Campbell on August 17, 1996. The two had met through the entertainment industry and stayed together for more than two decades before their relationship became public news for a different reason.
Children
Together, they raised two sons. Xen Waheed Martin was born on August 8, 2001, and Ezekiel Czar Martin followed on September 8, 2009. Ezekiel was diagnosed with autism at around a year and a half old. Xen went on to study zoology at Moorpark College in California.
Separation, Divorce & Bankruptcy
Campbell filed for divorce in February 2018, after 22 years of marriage. The split became final in December 2020. Court filings during the divorce included allegations of physical and emotional abuse, along with claims that Martin had hidden money from her.
The divorce also surfaced a bankruptcy filing from 2016. Records showed debts of roughly $15 million against joint assets of about $313,000, with a combined monthly income near $7,655 against monthly expenses of $16,953. Creditors included Broadway Federal Bank and the City of Los Angeles. The couple’s Chatsworth home, valued near $1.5 million, became part of the financial dispute.
Current Relationship: Engagement to Ashley Marie Jones
Martin proposed to model and actress Ashley Marie Jones during a helicopter ride over Los Angeles on February 2, 2024. He announced the engagement on Instagram shortly after, and Jones shared her own post about the moment.
Jones has appeared in Lucifer, Room 104, and Superstore, and continues acting work based in Los Angeles. Her engagement to Martin drew attention online for her resemblance to Tisha Campbell. As of 2026, no wedding date has been announced.
Will Smith Rumors & Controversy
In 2023, a man identifying himself as an aide to Will Smith, going by “Brother Bilaal,” claimed in a TikTok video that Martin and Smith had a sexual encounter in a dressing room years earlier. TMZ picked up the story soon after.
Smith’s representatives called the claim false. Jada Pinkett Smith also denied the accusation publicly, saying there had been no such relationship with any man. Martin has not responded to the claim directly. His sexual orientation, based on his own public statements, is straight.
Health
Martin has lived with Sarcoidosis for more than 20 years. The condition is an inflammatory disease that causes the immune system to overreact, and he has spoken about the diagnosis in past interviews.
Physical Appearance
Martin stands at 5 feet 10 inches and weighs around 73 kilograms. He has black hair and black eyes.
Net Worth & Income
Martin’s net worth is currently estimated at $500,000. That figure reflects the impact of his 2016 bankruptcy filing, which followed years of legal and financial strain tied to his divorce.
His income today comes from a mix of sources. Acting roles on shows like Bel-Air and Boo’d Up bring in earnings, while Impact Sports and his real estate work add income outside entertainment.
Social Media Presence
Martin stays active on Instagram under the handle @duane_martin, where he has built a following of roughly 175,000 people. He also maintains a presence on Twitter, where his fan base sits in the tens of thousands.
Philanthropy, Trivia & Legacy
Martin has supported youth focused causes tied to education over the years, using his platform in entertainment to back programs beyond acting. His path from an undrafted basketball prospect to a working actor, producer, and business owner reflects a career built on more than one skill.
Conclusion
Duane Martin’s story runs through basketball, sitcoms, film, and business. Three decades after his first TV role, he is still working, now balancing Bel-Air’s conclusion with new projects like Boo’d Up. His personal life has shifted too, from over twenty years with Tisha Campbell to a new engagement with Ashley Marie Jones. What stays constant is the work: acting, producing, and building ventures like Impact Sports alongside it.
FAQ’s
Is Duane Martin gay?
Duane Martin has publicly identified as straight, and no verified evidence supports claims made against him regarding his sexual orientation.
Who is Duane Martin married to?
Duane Martin was married to Tisha Campbell from 1996 until their divorce finalized in 2020, and he is now engaged to Ashley Marie Jones.
What is Duane Martin’s net worth?
Duane Martin’s net worth is currently estimated at $500,000, a figure shaped by his 2016 bankruptcy filing.
How tall is Duane Martin?
Duane Martin stands at 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighs around 73 kilograms.
Does Duane Martin have kids?
Duane Martin has two sons, Xen Waheed Martin and Ezekiel Czar Martin, both from his marriage to Tisha Campbell.
What happened between Duane Martin and Will Smith?
In 2023, a man calling himself Will Smith’s aide accused the two of a past encounter, a claim Smith’s team and Jada Pinkett Smith denied.
What is Duane Martin doing now?
Duane Martin recently finished his role in Bel-Air and is now working on the comedy series Boo’d Up and the BET+ show Angel.
Who is Duane Martin’s fiancée?
Duane Martin is engaged to model and actress Ashley Marie Jones, who he proposed to during a helicopter ride on February 2, 2024.
