Will Smith has been in the spotlight again for his relationship status, but this time it's not Jada Pinkett Smith who is revealing their most private secrets, but rather his former friend, Brother Bilal. In a recent interview, the star's ex-assistant said that he once saw Duane Martin and Smith getting fairly close in his dressing room. So today we try to figure out who is Martin.
Who is Duane Martin?
Duane Martin was born in Brooklyn, New York, on August 11, 1965. He earned his bachelor's degree from New York University, where he played NCAA Division III basketball.
In 1989, the New York Knicks selected Duane as a free agent in the National Basketball Association. However, he was quickly disconnected before he could play his first NBA game.
Duane first appeared on television in the NBC comedy series Out All Night, alongside Patti LaBelle, Vivica A. Fox, and Morris Chestnut.
He appeared in the Boyz II Men music video I'll Make Love To You and co-starred in the Fox sitcom Getting Personal with Vivica A. Fox and Jon Cryer.
Martin won the renowned part of Robert James in the show All of Us after appearing on various television shows. He appeared as Chuck in his then-wife Rita Rocks' sitcom Rita Rocks in 2009.
He also appeared in a number of major Hollywood films, including White Men Can't Jump, Scream 2, and Ride or Die.
Duane was last seen in The Seat Filler, a film he developed, produced, raised funding for, and performed with Kelly Rowland in 2004.
He distributed the film through his newly founded organization, The Momentum Experience, in which Will Smith and Blair Underwood were major investors. Impact Sports is the actor's own sports management company.
It has established itself as the industry's best sports agency, representing some of the most sought-after players in the NFL, NHL, and MLB.
Duane has founded a real estate company with the goal of revitalizing inner-city homes by providing poor families with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to become homeowners.
Will Smith and Duane Martin's Rumors
It appears that this isn't the first time the two stars have been entwined in such speculations. The first time the two were tied together was in 1993 after Smith played a queer artist in the film Six Degrees of Separation.
And when he became extraordinarily close to Martin when the latter appeared on his show, it just fanned the gossip mill. While the charges came and went over the years, they resurfaced in 2020 after Campbell posted a mysterious message on her Instagram.
“The truth always comes out in the end, no matter how hard anyone tries to hide it,” the message said. Lies are only a momentary delay to the inevitable.” Fans quickly speculated that the post was about her estranged husband's rumored affair with Will Smith, but the 55-year-old was quick to debunk the allegations.
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Meanwhile, Will and Duane remain close friends, with Martin even appearing in the reimagined version of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
