Tisha Campbell Almost Turned Down 'Martin' Before Martin Lawrence Visited Her Mother's House

Veteran actress Tisha Campbell recently revealed that she nearly passed on her legendary role as Gina Waters Payne on the classic 1990s sitcom "Martin." According to reporting by theGrio citing an appearance on Taboo's "Comics & Kicks," Campbell had already secured a firm 13-episode commitment from network ABC when comedian Martin Lawrence contacted her about his upcoming television project.

At the time, Lawrence's proposed sitcom had only received a pilot order, presenting a significant financial and career gamble for Campbell. Opting to play Gina meant turning down a steady, lucrative network contract for an unproven pilot. As reported by theGrio via People magazine, Campbell recalled that walking away from the ABC commitment meant giving up what she described as "a lot of money."

When Campbell initially called Lawrence to decline the offer due to her existing ABC deal, Lawrence refused to take no for an answer. During their phone conversation, Lawrence insisted on speaking with her face-to-face and asked for her address so he could travel directly to her family home.

Upon arriving at Campbell's mother's residence, Lawrence was greeted at the door by Tichina Arnold. Arnold, who was Campbell's longtime best friend, was staying at the house while pursuing audition opportunities in Los Angeles. Although Arnold had also auditioned for "Martin," Lawrence was unaware of their close personal friendship at the time. Arnold would ultimately be cast alongside Campbell as Pam James.

The professional connection between Campbell and Lawrence originated during their collaboration on the 1990 comedy film "House Party." Campbell noted that Lawrence had spent years telling her that if he ever landed his own movie or television series, he wanted her to portray his girlfriend. Campbell admitted that she initially took those remarks casually, as actors frequently hear professional promises that fail to materialize. However, Lawrence later approached her at a movie premiere to inform her that his goal was finally coming to fruition.

Inside the house, Lawrence and Campbell engaged in a detailed discussion about the project before Campbell ultimately chose to take the professional risk. Campbell shared that she felt a strong inner conviction guiding her decision, stating that "God kept telling me, 'You got to go with Martin.'"

"Martin" made its television debut in 1992 and rapidly established itself as one of the defining Black sitcoms of the decade. The show ultimately ran for more than 130 episodes and achieved long-term success in syndication. Alongside Lawrence and Campbell, the series starred Arnold, Carl Anthony Payne II, and the late Thomas Mikal Ford. Campbell reflected that none of the cast members originally anticipated the sitcom would become an enduring, multigenerational cultural touchstone.