Tisha Campbell-Martin

A recipient of the 2003 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series, Tisha Campbell-Martin has distinguished herself by her many diverse achievements in film, television, theater and music. In an accomplished career that spans more than 25 years, Campbell-Martin has acted in, directed and produced various film and television projects, starred on Broadway and recorded hit records. “My Wife and Kids,” embarks on its third year in national syndication this fall. Raised in Newark, New Jersey, Campbell-Martin is the daughter of two singers who nurtured her love for music. She entered her first talent contest at age five and won first prize, going on to appear on such children’s television shows as “Big Blue Marble,” “Kids Are People Too” and “Captain Kangaroo.” The next step was New York: She began going to auditions in the city by herself and landed the starring role in the off-Broadway play, “Really Rosie.” She also appeared on Broadway in “Mama, I Want to Sing,” “Betsey Brown” and “The Me Nobody Knows.”At the age of 15 she traveled to London to star as one of the three singers/narrators in the film version of “Little Shop of Horrors.” Campbell-Martin then moved to Hollywood to co-star in the NBC series “Rags to Riches.” At that time Spike Lee was auditioning actresses for his second movie, “School Daze.” He selected her out of many established actresses to play the lead. “School Daze” was followed by “House Party” (I, II and III), “Another 48 Hours,” “Homeward Bound II,” “Boomerang” and “Sprung.” “My Wife and Kids” debuted on ABC in 2001 with Campbell-Martin starring as Jay Kyle, career-minded wife to a not-so-modern-day husband (Damon Wayans). Campbell-Martin’s television credits include “Fresh Prince of Bel Air,” “Blossom,” “A Different World,” “Roc” and the television pilot “Moe’s World,” where she met her future husband, fellow actor Duane Martin. She is also still recognizable from her five-year stint as Gina on the hit FOX sitcom, “Martin.” More recently she starred in Showtime’s “The Sweetest Gift” and the critically acclaimed series “Linc’s.” After attending the American Film Institute and the Writer’s Boot Camp so she would be able to create dynamic characters for women, she produced the film short, “A Luv Tale,” about two women who fall in love with each other. It won awards at numerous film festivals, including the Audience Choice Award at the Black Hollywood Film Festival. She also directed the comedy presentation/pilot, “Get Up Stand Up Comedy.” Her most current project includes co-writing the film “The Seat Filler” with her husband. Campbell-Martin’s charitable work includes an annual performance in “DIVAS: Simply Singing!,” a musical evening which benefits various AIDS charities. And she is developing a project to benefit her alma mater, Arts High School in Newark, which will help provide desperately needed supplies to the school’s inner-city children. Campbell-Martin currently lives in Los Angeles with her husband and their young son, Xen. In her spare time she enjoys cooking for family and friends, and is currently writing a cookbook and a children’s book, as well as a novel.