Xen Martin is the older son of actors Tisha Campbell and Duane Martin. He is in college. His mother says he hopes to earn a doctorate and teach animal studies. In September 2026, he joined Campbell on ABC News. They spoke about her memoir, The A Word: A Mother’s Journey Through Autism and Love. The interview gave viewers a rare chance to see him take part in a public talk as an adult.
Campbell has shared news of her son for years. Much of that news once focused on his early years and autism diagnosis. Now her updates also cover his studies, career goals, and life beyond school. Here is what her interviews and other trusted reports tell us.
Quick Facts About Xen Martin
- Full name: Xen Martin
- Parents: Tisha Campbell and Duane Martin
- Sibling: Younger brother Ezekiel Martin
- Education: College student, as of Campbell’s March 2025 interview
- Academic interest: Animal studies
- Career goal: To earn a doctorate and become a professor
- Public appearance: ABC News interview with his mother in September 2026
Who Is Xen Martin?
Xen Martin grew up in a family known for television and film. His mother played Gina on Martin. She also played Jay Kyle on My Wife and Kids. His father, Duane Martin, acts too. Yet the career Xen hopes to build is not in entertainment. His mother says he wants to study animals. He hopes to teach, too.
Many viewers first heard his name when Campbell spoke about parenting. She spoke about his autism diagnosis. She also shared how her family sought help when he was young. Those talks often focused on her role as a mother. The newer news is about his own plans.
That change is easy to miss when old stories are shared online. A childhood account may explain part of his family history, but it does not tell readers what he studies today. Campbell gave an update in 2025. Their joint interview in 2026 adds to it.
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His Parents and Younger Brother
Tisha Campbell and Duane Martin are the parents of Xen and his younger brother, Ezekiel. Fans may know Campbell from her comedy roles, but she has often said that raising her sons shaped the work she chose to take.
In March 2025, she told ESSENCE she had passed up jobs far from home. She wanted to be present while her children grew up. With both sons getting older, she felt ready for new work. That included stand-up comedy.
That same interview gave an update on both boys. Xen was in college, and Campbell said Ezekiel had made strong gains at school. She spoke with pride about their growth and the people they were becoming. Her comments were about their day-to-day lives, not the fame tied to their family name.
Xen Martin’s College Studies and Career Goals
The clearest public account of Xen’s plans came from ESSENCE in March 2025. Campbell said that Xen was 23 and attending college. She also said he hoped to become a professor of animal studies and earn a doctorate.
Those details show a clear academic aim, but they do not mean he already holds a degree or teaches at a university. A doctorate is a long-term goal. His mother did not name his degree program or any research work. She gave no date for when he might finish school.
Animal studies is a broad term. Some courses focus on biology or behavior. Others look at animal care or the bond between people and animals. Campbell did not give enough detail to place Xen in any one of those fields. What she did share was his wish to keep learning and, one day, teach others.
There is another reason her comments stood out. Xen’s parents built public careers as performers. His stated goal points toward higher education instead. Readers looking for news about his work should keep that difference in mind rather than assume he will follow his parents onto a screen.
What Campbell Has Said About His Autism Diagnosis
Campbell has discussed Xen’s autism diagnosis in interviews since he was young. She told ESSENCE that speech had been hard for him. The family worked to find help. Both parents described the progress they saw as he learned to communicate.
In one earlier interview, Campbell recalled the joy she felt when her son told her he loved her. That moment meant a great deal to her because speaking had been hard for him when he was small. That is a family memory. It cannot be used to judge another child.
Autism affects people in different ways. Needs and skills also vary over time. Campbell’s account is one family’s story. It should not be treated as advice that applies to every autistic person or as proof that autism can be cured.
As Xen grew older, his mother began to speak more often about his hopes for school and work. Those updates add to the childhood stories rather than erase them. They also make room for his own interests, which deserve attention apart from his diagnosis.
How Colored My Mind Grew From Family Experience
In 2011, Campbell and four other mothers helped create Colored My Mind, a project aimed at helping families of autistic children. Their work included a short film of the same name. It sought to raise awareness and help more parents find support.
Campbell discussed the film with ESSENCE when it was shown in connection with the MegaFest film festival. She explained that families could face gaps in access to helpful services and clear information. The group’s work also drew attention to the needs of families in communities of color.
She wrote a children’s book, My Brother Doesn’t Want to Play, that looks at autism through the eyes of a sibling. Its story asks children to show patience and care when a brother or sister communicates or plays in a different way. The book was published in 2013.
These were Campbell’s projects, not acting jobs undertaken by Xen. They help explain why his childhood became part of a wider public talk about family life and autism. They also show how her work outside television grew from questions she faced as a parent.
What Is The A Word About?
Campbell’s memoir, The A Word: A Mother’s Journey Through Autism and Love, was released on September 15, 2026, by Amistad, an imprint of HarperCollins. The 352-page book tells her story of raising Xen. It begins with his early diagnosis and moves through later years.
The book deals with family life, care, and school. It also covers the stress and joy of raising a child. Campbell writes about the years she spent learning how best to support her son. The book is her memoir; Xen is its subject, but he is not its author.
The release followed years of interviews and advocacy work. It gave Campbell space to tell a longer account than she could offer in a short television segment. Readers who know her from sitcoms may find that the book deals with a much more personal part of her life.
It helps explain why Xen made news again in 2026. The memoir brought new attention to a story that his mother had discussed for years, while he was old enough to join in the public conversation.
His September 2026 Interview With ABC News
In September 2026, ABC News interviewed Xen Martin and Tisha Campbell about The A Word. Anchor Linsey Davis spoke with them about their family’s experience of autism and the new book.
Xen appeared with his mother. That sets the talk apart from older reports. Viewers could see them talk together. Older reports had relied on Campbell’s memories of his early years.
ABC’s video page confirms their joint appearance and names Davis as the interviewer. It does not provide a full transcript of every answer. The page does not confirm his exact words or private views. It also says little about his future plans.
For those who have followed Campbell’s family stories over time, the appearance showed how the public conversation has changed. Her memories still belong to her, but her son is now an adult who can take part in discussions about his own life.
What Is Xen Martin Doing Now?
The most solid recent update about Xen’s daily life comes from Campbell’s March 2025 ESSENCE interview: he was a college student with plans for doctoral study. His September 2026 appearance on ABC News is a more recent confirmed public event.
The interviews do not tell us all the details. They do not confirm a current employer, salary, graduation date, or doctoral admission. Online guesses cannot fill those gaps. A goal shared by a parent is not the same as a completed step.
At the same time, there is no need to turn missing details into a mystery. What is known is enough to see the direction he had in mind. He was pursuing education in a field that interests him, and he later appeared alongside his mother during the launch of her memoir.
His plans may change with time. Until he or a reliable source offers an update, the fairest account is the one supported by the public record.
Final Thoughts
Xen Martin became known to many people because of his parents and his mother’s public talks about autism. More recent reports show another side of his life: a college student who hopes to study animals at an advanced level and teach.
Campbell’s 2026 memoir and their ABC News interview brought his family story back into view. This time, he joined the discussion as an adult. Those facts give a sound picture of his life. His childhood is only one part of it. His future is still his own.
Frequently Asked Questions
How old is Xen Martin?
Tisha Campbell said he was 23 in her March 2025 ESSENCE interview. His exact birth date is not needed to understand his college goals or recent public appearance.
Is Xen Martin a professor?
No confirmed source says he is a professor. Campbell described earning a doctorate and teaching animal studies as goals, not jobs or degrees he had already obtained.
Did Xen Martin appear with Tisha Campbell on ABC News?
Yes. He joined his mother for a September 2026 interview with Linsey Davis about The A Word: A Mother’s Journey Through Autism and Love.
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