we found out that someone in the entertainment industry has allegedly been causing quite a stir behind the scenes. And guess who it is? Tisha Campbell’s ex-husband, Dwayne Martin.
Dwayne Martin? What did he do? Well, his antics go back to the early days of his relationship with Tisha, and apparently, the drama has never stopped. Ready to dive into this juicy mess? Of course, you are! But before we spill all the tea, if you’re feeling a bit peckish, we’ve got you covered. Grab some snacks from our website. Come on, join us [laughter].
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Back in 1990, Tisha was cast in a TV series called “Mo’s World,” working alongside Jada Pinkett and Dwayne Martin. The three quickly became friends, and that same year, Tisha and Dwayne started dating. Although the show wasn’t picked up by the network, Tisha’s career and her relationship with Dwayne continued to thrive. In 1992, she landed the role of Gina on “Martin.” Dwayne also scored a role in a 1993 episode of “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” where he met Will Smith, and the two hit it off and became best friends.
In his memoir, Will Smith wrote that he was instantly smitten when he first saw Jada Pinkett, who was friends with Tisha and Dwayne. When Jada auditioned for a role on “Fresh Prince,” Will tried to catch her attention by showing up at a taping of “A Different World,” where Jada was part of the cast. However, during the taping, he met a woman named Sheree Zampino. They fell in love and got married three months later. Unfortunately, their marriage quickly deteriorated when Sheree took their son, Trey, back to her hometown in upstate New York to get some space.
Dwayne and Tisha orchestrated a surprise meeting between Will and Jada at a lounge, without either of them knowing. Dwayne knew about Will’s crush on Jada, and both he and Tisha were fully aware that Will was married. Yet, they still arranged for him to meet Jada behind his wife’s back. That’s just low. But hey, I’m just going to sit back, eat my snacks, and mind my business.
As everyone knows, Sheree eventually filed for divorce. She had second thoughts later, but Will had already decided he wanted to be with Jada. And since then, we’ve all been caught up in the never-ending Will and Jada drama. Seriously, someone take me out of this group chat, right after I get the latest tea.
Tisha and the rest of the “Martin” cast, including Martin Lawrence, initially had great chemistry that translated well on screen. But things took a dark turn. According to court documents, Tisha claimed the working conditions became unbearable. In the first season, she frequently turned Martin down because she had a boyfriend. By the second season, she said Martin’s behavior grew increasingly erratic, with sudden fits of rage for no apparent reason. Remember when he ran down the street naked? His temper reportedly worsened in the third season, with Tisha alleging that Martin humiliated her so much in front of everyone that she had to be hospitalized for stress. And it gets worse. Tisha claimed that Martin groped her, kissed her, forced his tongue into her mouth, and simulated intimate acts with her on set, even when they weren’t rehearsing or filming. Martin was dealing with several personal issues at the time, including substance abuse, which we’ve covered in a previous video linked in our description box.
I knew it! While everything else was going on, Dwayne decided it was the perfect time to pop the question. Tisha told “The Real” that in the middle of the night, Dwayne asked her if she wanted to go to a Denny’s. A Denny’s? “I was exhausted from a hard day’s work, but I said okay,” Tisha said. She described the Denny’s as pretty sketchy, filled with pimps and ladies of the night. Out of nowhere, Dwayne got down on one knee and asked if she’d be his friend forever. His friend? The women in the restaurant were yelling, furious that he was proposing in the middle of a Denny’s. But Tisha said yes.
In August 1996, Tisha married Dwayne, thinking he was the man of her dreams. But according to court documents, things went downhill fast. She alleged that Dwayne became physically, mentally, and emotionally abusive soon after they married. Tisha kept the abuse hidden from most of her family, friends, and the public. Just three months into their marriage, season five of “Martin” started, and Tisha said Martin’s behavior was out of control. She pleaded with the writers to stop writing bedroom scenes with Martin, but they didn’t listen. She was so frustrated she wanted to write the scenes herself.
During season five, Martin had a huge outburst that made Tisha leave the set. She only agreed to return for the last few episodes if she didn’t have to film with Martin. She filed a lawsuit against HBO, Martin, and his production company, and eventually settled for an undisclosed amount. Good for her. Martin later told GQ the whole case was nonsense, saying, “We don’t need to talk about something that didn’t happen.” Sure, Martin. While many think the show was canceled, Martin said he chose to walk away after five seasons. Without Gina, he had no choice. Their falling out kept Tisha and Martin estranged for years.
Did Dwayne Play a Role in All of This?
Some folks think Dwayne was jealous of Tisha and Martin’s on-and-off-screen chemistry. It’s rumored that his jealousy made Tisha change how their characters interacted to keep things smooth at home. But none of this is confirmed. No matter what you hear from your mama, daddy, aunties, or random internet folks, we might never know the real story. Tisha mentioned on “The Talk,” “I can’t go into much detail about the past because there was a confidentiality agreement.” So, it’s all hush-hush.
Tisha’s New Role
After “Martin,” Tisha quickly snagged the role of Janet Kyle on “My Wife and Kids,” which premiered in 2000. I absolutely love that show. Don’t forget to check out the video we made about it, linked in the description box.
Dwayne’s Birthday Bentley Drama
In 2000, Dwayne bought himself a Bentley for his 35th birthday. When the car arrived at his party, he, Will, and another friend jumped in and turned on the stereo. Some guests thought Will had bought the car for Dwayne and rushed to the tabloids, calling it weird. Uh-oh. Dwayne told Essence magazine he was so disgusted by the rumors that he ended up selling the car. Maybe he couldn’t afford it.
Family and Health Challenges
Tisha and Dwayne’s son, Zen, was born in August 2001. Around that time, Tisha was diagnosed with sarcoidosis, an inflammatory disease where the immune system overreacts, causing clusters of inflamed tissue in one or more body organs. Bernie Mac died from this disease, and Crazy Bone of Bone Thugs-N-Harmony was recently hospitalized due to complications from it. In 2003, their son Zen was diagnosed with autism at 18 months old. Tisha had to manage her own health issues while adapting to her son’s special needs with Dwayne.
The Scandalous Connections: Dwayne, LisaRaye, and the Premier of Turks and Caicos
Let’s jump to 2005, when Dwayne’s good friend LisaRaye McCoy met Michael Misick, the Premier of Turks and Caicos. LisaRaye introduced Michael to Dwayne, and the two quickly became close friends. In 2006, LisaRaye and Michael got married. By 2007, Dwayne revealed in an Essence magazine interview that he was spending time in Turks and Caicos to scout locations for a hotel they were planning to build. Michael had grand ambitions to transform the islands into the “Gucci of the Caribbean.” To achieve this, he collaborated with influential people like Dwayne and Tisha, aiming to develop the island together. But does Dwayne have the financial clout for this? Additionally, Michael teamed up with Will and Cedric the Entertainer to build a hotel in Studio City, a venture that excited Dwayne. Tisha expressed her enthusiasm for their projects, emphasizing the importance of surrounding herself with spiritually and mentally rich people.
However, the reality was far from what it seemed. In 2007, the New York Daily News reported that Nicole Murphy, Eddie Murphy’s ex-wife, was seen kissing Michael at the opening of a Sandals Antigua Resort. This revelation sparked outrage. A website reported that a bodyguard had ensured no photos of Michael and Nicole were taken. When the allegations surfaced online, LisaRaye dismissed them as fake news, defending Nicole and Michael’s presence at the event as purely coincidental.
Unfortunately, LisaRaye was unaware of the betrayal unfolding around her. During an episode of TV One’s “Uncensored,” LisaRaye confirmed that Dwayne, despite being her close friend, had introduced Michael to various women, including mutual friends. This included coordinating Nicole’s trip to facilitate her affair with Michael. The scandal didn’t end there, as LisaRaye accused Dwayne of orchestrating the entire situation. We delve into all the juicy details of Nicole’s alleged affairs in one of our old school videos, linked in the description box.
LisaRaye was upfront about Michael’s tendency to be a bit of a playboy, always off on trips and goodness knows what else. But things took a real turn for the worse in their marriage when Dwayne and Michael got chummy. “I lost my husband to Dwayne Martin,” LisaRaye admitted, her hurt evident. “Their friendship became stronger than ours, and I just couldn’t wrap my head around it.” She trusted Dwayne like family, and even now, forgiveness eludes her. Can’t say I blame her.
Fast forward to 2008, and LisaRaye and Michael called it quits. But as if that wasn’t enough drama, Michael’s reputation took a major hit when it came out he’d been illegally profiting from selling off public land. What a shady move!
Now, let’s hit pause for a sec. Dwayne’s involvement in setting up Will and Jada when Will was still hitched to Sheree is eyebrow-raising enough. But add to that rumors that he was setting LisaRaye’s husband up with other women? Yeah, that’s some sketchy business.
Then, in 2007, whispers started swirling about trouble in paradise for Tisha and Dwayne, alongside some gossip about Dwayne’s sexuality. Hold up—did someone say “lavender marriage”? Yep, turns out folks were speculating online that Dwayne and Tisha’s relationship was just for show, with Dwayne allegedly cozying up to Will and Tisha linked to her “Martin” co-star, Tichina Arnold. Talk about a plot twist! But when confronted, Dwayne dodged the issue, opting instead to focus on advocating for his son with autism. Fair enough, but can’t a person handle multiple things at once?
Their family grew with the arrival of their second son, Ezekiel, in September 2009. While adjusting to life as a family of four, more speculation about Dwayne’s inclinations surfaced in the media. Oh boy, not again! By March 2012, Star magazine dropped a bombshell, alleging Dwayne’s supposed involvement with Will was causing strife in Will’s marriage. The tabloid claimed Will and Dwayne frequented various destinations together, such as Las Vegas, Miami, and a private cruise in Trinidad, while Tisha and Jada remained at home. However, Tisha and Dwayne grappled with their own challenges. Financial woes loomed large; bills piled up, phone bills went unpaid, and they struggled to keep afloat.
In 2016, they filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, admitting a staggering $15 million debt. Yes, you read that right, $15 million! The bankruptcy proceedings turned into a messy ordeal. Accusations arose that they concealed $50,000 from the trustee, leading to a demand for all their financial records. Then came Will’s involvement in the bankruptcy saga. Say what now? Investigations revealed that in 2006, Dwayne purchased a property in Chatsworth, California, for $900,000, later securing a $1.9 million loan to build another home. When he defaulted on the loan, he arranged a short sale of the Chatsworth property, repurchasing it through Roxe LLC with a $1.4 million loan from Will and Jada. Dwayne allegedly planned to sell the Chatsworth home for a hefty profit, intending to repay Will and Jada covertly, keeping the rest undisclosed to the court. In simpler terms, he allegedly attempted a sneaky maneuver. Text messages and emails between Will and his team revealed Will’s reservations about the loan, with one advisor noting it posed both a PR and legal risk for Will Smith. PR risk? Did that imply Will’s involvement in the loan could fuel the rumors? Regardless, Will provided the funds. While the Smiths faced no direct accusations, bankruptcy officials suggested the loan was part of a broader scheme orchestrated by Dwayne. Eventually, Dwayne reached an agreement with the trustee to sell the property. Former “Basketball Wives” star Angel Brinks was lined up to purchase the property for $2.45 million. The proceeds would repay Will and Jada, with the remainder going to the bankruptcy estate and a fraction returned to Roxe LLC.
Tisha wasn’t willing to let things slide without a fight. She took legal action to put a stop to the deal, questioning why the trustee would allow the quick sale of the house without digging deeper into Dwayne’s shady dealings. Despite Angel’s claim of no ties to Dwayne or Will, Tisha pointed out Angel’s connection through her relationship with actor Jackie Long, who worked with Dwayne on “The Real Husbands of Hollywood.” Eventually, the house got sold, and the proceeds were divided per the trustee’s decision.
Two years after filing for bankruptcy, Tisha decided to end her 22-year marriage in February 2018. Even though she had assets worth $1.5 million, she didn’t have a steady income and sought spousal and child support from Dwayne, who was raking in about $62,000 a month. Tisha laid out her monthly expenses, totaling over $330,000, including costs for her music career. She accused Dwayne of cheating on her throughout their marriage and opened up about years of alleged abuse. She also claimed Dwayne flew into a violent rage in December 2018, almost a year after she filed for divorce, leading to her being granted a temporary restraining order. Dwayne denied all allegations, accusing Tisha of trying to ruin him financially.
A month after Tisha filed for divorce, Dwayne hit back, accusing her of being a bad mother and claiming she didn’t value education because she lacked a college degree like he did. Tisha didn’t hold back either, asserting that she was the more responsible parent and labeling Dwayne as lazy, alleging he often pawned off his parenting duties onto his mother and brother.
Then, in July 2019, Dwayne brought up concerns about Tisha’s mental state, mentioning a specific incident from August 2017 where she experienced paranoia and anxiety. He also said her recent behavior was worrying, accusing her of making up stories and lashing out at people. However, a source close to Tisha dismissed these claims, calling them nonsense and part of Dwayne’s history of manipulating her during their marriage.
After two years of legal battles, their divorce was finalized in December 2020. Neither of them received spousal or child support, but they agreed to split the expenses for their youngest son, who was still a minor. Tisha also decided to drop “Martin” from her name, reverting back to Tisha Campbell.
After her divorce, she confided in Entertainment Tonight that she was left with just $7 to her name. Can you believe it? With such a meager sum and the daunting prospect of starting over, fear crept in. But her children’s indifference to material possessions became her saving grace. When asked about her readiness for love again, she snapped back, “Absolutely not! I’ve never been happier, and I’m not looking for a relationship, so please don’t even ask!” You go, Tisha!
Embracing this new phase of life, Tisha is diving into various projects. From recording music to co-creating a police encounter app with her brother, from tickling funny bones with stand-up comedy to bagging acting gigs, she’s on fire. And her reconciliation with Martin and unwavering friendship with LisaRaye, despite LisaRaye’s beef with Dwayne, speaks volumes about her character. I’m just so proud of her honesty and resilience.
Meanwhile, Dwayne has been popping up on a few episodes of “Bel-Air” and has inked a deal with Jada’s Red Table Talk Productions to churn out both scripted and unscripted content. Phew! Finally, we’ve reached the end of this rollercoaster.
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