Thanks to a new generation of fans, Tisha Campbell’s relationship to Martin is still evolving.
While joining fellow actress Lena Waithe for an episode of her Legacy Talk podcast, Campbell looked back on starring in the beloved Martin Lawrence sitcom — and revealed why she only just began watching the show herself.
“Martin would never let us see certain characters until we were in front of the camera,” Campbell recalled, referencing occasions where Lawrence would go through extensive hair and makeup to transform into characters like Sheneneh Jenkins. She explained that in the spirit of keeping her reactions true to the moment of filming, she also avoided watching the show while it was still on the air.
But decades later, she’s more motivated than ever to see what all the buzz is about.
“I started watching the show because millennials and Gen Z’s really enjoy the show and they often run up to me and quote s— at me and I don’t know what the f— they’re talking about,” Campbell explained. “That’s why I started watching the show.”
Martin, which ran for five seasons from 1992 and 1997, followed a snarky radio host (Lawrence) whose hot takes often stirred trouble with his girlfriend Gina (Campbell) and their chaotic crew of friends. In addition to being a celebrated series during its ’90s run, the sitcom stood the test of time after entering syndication and eventually making its way to streaming services.
Earlier this year, BET+ hinted that the love for Martin is still going strong by ordering the spinoff Varnell Hill, three decades after the original series came to a close. The new sitcom will follow Tommy Davidson’s Varnell, who had a memorable two-episode run in season 2 of the flagship series.
Looking back on the origins of Martin, Campbell said it was clear from the very first table read that the cast had something special.
“We were all friends. We all knew each other,” she recalled. “Here was the brilliant part of it all, they surrounded Martin with everybody…from the theater. Me, Tashina [Arnold], Carl [Anthony Payne II], Tommy [Mikal Ford], we were all thespians. And it really gave him support and structure so that he could just do whatever he wanted to do.”
courtesy Everett Collection
Thomas Mikal Ford, Tisha Campbell, Martin Lawrence, Carl Anthony Payne, Tichina Arnold on Martin
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She also delved into her relationship with Lawrence. As onscreen husband and wife, the duo balanced laughter and love with some pretty fiery disagreements — which Campbell said was helped by their previous work together in the 1990’s film House Party.
“Martin is like an elephant. He don’t forget nothing,” she quipped. “He never forgot the chemistry we had. So, it just made sense that he was surrounded by people who could really support him.”
Last year, the cast of Martin — including Lawrence, Campbell, Arnold, and Payne — reunited to celebrate the show and present an award at the 75th Emmy Awards.
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