Carl Payne, best known for his role as the lovable and goofy Cole Brown on the hit 90s sitcom Martin, made millions laugh during the show’s five-season run. But once Martin was canceled in 1997, Carl’s life took a much different turn than most expected. Instead of jumping right into more Hollywood success, like he had enjoyed since he was a child actor, he found himself selling cars to make ends meet— and co-parenting a child with Bobby Brown.
Career Setback After Martin
When Martin ended, Carl Payne faced an unfortunate but all-too-common struggle for actors typecast in a specific type of role. While fans loved Cole, Payne’s goofy character on the show, the very thing that brought him fame also made it hard for him to land other roles.
In an interview, Carl Payne opened up about how challenging this period was, saying, “It’s hard to shake off that one character when it becomes part of pop culture.”
So after Martin wrapped, he found himself out of work, and needing to provide for his family. And that’s when he put his pride aside and took a job selling cars in Los Angeles just to make ends meet.
I know a lot of people used to wonder how stars who we still see on television everyday in re-runs could be struggling to make ends meet. But recently it’s been revealed how little television residual checks actual are, and a lot of those checks are not enough money to live on.
Carl Payne explained “I did what I had to do. There are times in life when you just have to grind and figure things out, and that was one of them.”
Years ago TMZ caught up with Carl Payne at what looked to be a used car lot and asked him how he got there.
TMZ (video)
Carl Payne is not the only successful actor to go from the television screen to working a regular job. Remember Cosby Show actor Geoffrey Owens, went viral after being spotted working at a Trader Joe’s in 2018.
Geoffrey Owens, who played Elvin Tibideaux on The Cosby Show, was job-shamed when a customer took a photo of him bagging groceries. And while it seemed the photo was intended to humiliate him, the response from the public and Hollywood was overwhelmingly supportive.
Geoffrey Owens, who had been working at the grocery store for 15 months, explained that he took the job for the flexibility it offered as he continued to pursue acting, teaching, and directing while providing for his family.
In interviews, Owens shared that he initially felt “devastated” when the picture first went viral but quickly realized the situation was not shameful at all. “Every job is worthwhile and valuable,” he said, hoping that his experience would challenge people’s perceptions of work.
Return to Hollywood and Beyond
After a few years away from the spotlight, Carl Payne eventually returned to television, this time working both in front of and behind the camera. Because it’s clearly the people behind the camera and in the boardrooms that make the money.
Carl Payne has explored directing and producing, with one of his more notable projects being a comedy series called Last Call.
Reflecting on his career post-Martin, Carl Payne said, “You have to adapt. If I couldn’t get the roles I wanted, I decided I’d create them. That’s why I started producing and directing.”
If you missed my video on Martin Lawrence’s decades long beef with Carl Payne, make sure you check it out in the top right hand corner of this video. Apparently the two of them had a beef on set that was overshadowed by what Martin allegedly did to Tisha Campbell, but it was enough for them to stop speaking to each other for decades.
Sharing a Baby Mama with Bobby Brown
Perhaps one of the most interesting parts of Carl’s life post-Martin is his connection to Bobby Brown. Carl Payne’s wife, Melika Williams, was once in a relationship with Brown, and the two share a son, Landon Brown, born in 1986.
After Melika and Bobby split, she married Carl Payne in 1992, making Carl the stepfather to Landon.
In a 2022 interview on the Tamron Hall show, Carl Payne spoke about co-parenting with Brown, humorously recalling how they shared responsibilities.
“There were times Bobby would come over, and I’d say, ‘It’s your turn to take him to school today, I’m sleeping in.’”
In that same interview he also highlighted the respect between him and Bobby Brown, saying, “We’ve got mutual respect. It’s all about raising a good kid, and Landon turned out great.”
Landon often speaks warmly of Carl, referring to him as his “other dad,” and even calls Carl Payne’s and Bobby Brown’s parenting dynamic an example of healthy co-parenting.
Family Life and Marriage Struggles
Carl and Melika’s marriage has stood the test of time, but it hasn’t been without its struggles. In 2012, after 20 years of marriage, Melika filed for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences.
At the time, Carl Payne kept things private but later reflected on how the couple managed to reconcile. “You gotta learn how to fight the right way,” Payne said in an interview, adding, “It’s not about who’s right or wrong, but about growth and figuring out how to argue without tearing each other down.”
Their reconciliation led to a renewal of their vows, and the couple has since stayed strong, raising their blended family, which includes four children.
His oldest son, Landon Brown, is from his wife Melika Williams’ previous relationship with Bobby Brown. Together, Carl and Melika have three additional sons: Carl Anthony Payne III, Malek Payne, and one other whose name is less frequently mentioned publicly.
Moving forward, Carl Payne has several projects in the works according to his IMDB. But I don’t see that he is involved at all with the Young Martin pre-qual that is happening.
Deadline reports,
The Martin cast reunion was a highlight of this year’s Emmy Awards, tapping into nostalgia to bring the 90s sitcom back into the pop culture conversation. The beloved comedy is now looking for a more permanent return with Young Martin, a new hourlong drama series from Martin Lawrence and his production company, RunTelDat, in collaboration with Marvin Peart‘s WonderHill Studios.
The hourlong Young Martin is contemporary origin story centering on Martin Payne, a charismatic teenager navigating the complexities of transitioning from youth to adulthood. It reimagines the character played by Lawrence on Martin, paying homage to the original show, which aired on Fox from 1992-97.
Set in modern-day Detroit, Young Martin follows Martin Payne, a spirited teenager whose journey is characterized by ambition, humor, and a genuine compassion for those around him. The show will explore themes of family, friendship and life while the young Payne balances on the tightrope between adolescence and adulthood. Martin’s quick wit and magnetic personality draw him into high-stakes situations, where he must confront obstacles, emotions, and ultimately, find his path to success.
So, so far, I don’t see Carl Payne’s name mentioned in association with the pre-qual, but I think fans will be really disappointed if he’s not involved with the show in some capacity. It’s like we already lost Tomas Mikal Ford, so we at least want to see the rest of the original cast of Martin involved somehow on the show.
So leave a comment and let me know what you think about Carl Anthony Payne selling used cars to make ends meet after Martin was cancelled. And do you want to see him involved on the Young Martin pre-qual. I could see him as the father to young Cole or something like that.
