When people search for Duane Martin and wife, they’re usually looking for one of two things: the wreckage of his 20-year marriage to Tisha Campbell or the details of the new woman he’s finally set to marry. It’s a bit of a whirlwind. For nearly three decades, Duane and Tisha were the "it" couple of Black Hollywood. They were the blueprint.
Then, it all went south in a way that felt personal to everyone who grew up watching Martin and Above the Rim.
The New Chapter: Who Is Duane Martin’s Fiancée?
As of early 2026, Duane Martin is no longer a single man, though he isn't technically "married" just yet. He’s engaged. In February 2024, Duane took to Instagram to drop a massive bombshell: he’s marrying model and actress Ashley Marie Jones.
The proposal was straight out of a movie. He took her on a private helicopter ride over Los Angeles, popped the question mid-air, and she said yes. Honestly, the video was pretty sweet. He captioned it by saying "God don’t make people like her in 3s," which is a pretty high bar to set.
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Ashley Marie Jones isn't just "the new wife-to-be." She’s an actress in her own right, with credits on shows like Superstore and Lucifer. They’ve been together since roughly 2023, and by all accounts, they’re living that "high frequency" life they keep posting about. If you’re looking for his current partner, she’s the one.
What Happened With Tisha Campbell?
You can't talk about Duane Martin and wife without talking about the woman who held that title from 1996 to 2020. Tisha Campbell.
Their split wasn't just a "we grew apart" situation. It was a legal and financial cage match. When Tisha filed for divorce in 2018, the world was shocked. They had been together for 27 years. They have two sons, Xen and Ezekiel. But behind the scenes, things were apparently crumbling.
Tisha didn't hold back. She alleged that Duane had been hiding money—millions of dollars—during their marriage. There were claims of misappropriated funds and even a high-profile bankruptcy case that didn't fully wrap up until 2024. At one point, Tisha famously told the press she had "nothing in the bank" and only about $7 to her name. That’s a staggering fall for someone who was a staple on prime-time TV for decades.
The Financial Fallout
The divorce was finalized in December 2020. The results?
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- No Spousal Support: Neither party got a dime from the other.
- No Child Support: They settled on a joint custody arrangement.
- Assets: Tisha kept a house and a car, but the "millions" she expected to find through discovery seemingly vanished or were swallowed by the bankruptcy estate.
It’s a cautionary tale, honestly. They went through a Chapter 7 bankruptcy starting in 2016, and the fallout involved investigations into a $2 million home in Chatsworth that Duane was accused of "flipping" through a shell company to hide it from creditors. Will Smith’s name even got dragged into the mix because he had loaned Duane money. It was messy.
Why the Internet is Still Obsessed
People are still digging into this because Tisha continues to be very vocal about her recovery. In late 2025, she did an interview where she talked about how hard it is to date now because men "just want to date Gina" (her character from Martin). She’s been open about the trauma of "starting over" in her 50s.
Meanwhile, Duane has mostly stayed quiet about the past, focusing on his relationship with Ashley. This creates a weird dichotomy online. You have one half of the former power couple talking about financial ruin and the other half posting helicopter proposals.
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Navigating the Rumors
You've probably seen the clickbait. "Will Smith and Duane Martin’s Secret Relationship" or "Tisha Reveals the Real Reason."
Let’s be real: much of that is pure speculation or based on decades-old blind items. While Tisha hinted at "infidelity" and "betrayal" in various interviews, she’s never explicitly confirmed the more salacious internet theories regarding Duane’s private life. What we do know is that the trust was broken, the money was gone, and the marriage became a legal battlefield.
What You Can Learn From the Martin Divorce
If you're following this story, there are a few real-world takeaways that apply even if you aren't a Hollywood star.
- Financial Transparency is Everything: Tisha admitted she left the finances entirely to Duane. That was her biggest regret. Even in a happy marriage, you need to know where the money is.
- Bankruptcy Isn't a Quick Fix: Their case lasted nearly eight years. It tethered them together long after the romantic spark was dead.
- Co-parenting Trumps Everything: Despite the "nasty" labels on the divorce, both have managed to keep their sons out of the direct line of fire. Xen and Ezekiel seem to be the one area where they can still agree.
If you want to keep up with Duane's new life, he’s most active on Instagram, usually sharing fitness content or travel clips with Ashley. Tisha, on the other hand, is busy with her sitcom Act Your Age and hosting gigs. They’ve moved on, even if the fans haven't.
Check your own financial accounts today. It sounds like a joke, but after seeing what Tisha went through, it’s probably the best "celebrity advice" you'll ever get.