Tichina Arnold’s Daughter Found Out Her Mom Was Famous After Locking Herself Away Watching ‘Martin” [Video]

Tichina Arnold and her daughter, Alijah Kai, turned heads at the NAACP Awards, and while catching up with Baller Alert, Alijah shared a heartwarming story about when she first realized her mom was a star.

As Tichina recalled, Alijah was about six years old when she disappeared in the house, leading her mother to go searching for her.

“I walked to her room, knocked on the door—she had the door closed, which she knows I don’t like,” Arnold explained. “She comes out and says, ‘I just finished watching Martin. You’re really funny!’ I told her, ‘I know!’”

Alijah confirmed that she had been binge-watching Martin all day, completely captivated by her mother’s performance.

While Arnold has been a force in Hollywood for decades, she admitted she doesn’t believe in “reinventing” herself. Instead, she brings parts of her own personality to every role.

“I put a little bit of myself in every project,” she said. “We all have different sides to us, so I just tap into different parts of myself, but I make sure I leave it in the role and don’t take it home.”

Comedy remains her first love, and she says there’s no greater feeling than making people laugh. “That’s how I got into the industry,” Arnold shared. “I used to drive my mother crazy, and when I got in trouble, I’d make her laugh. That triggered something in me.”

Looking ahead, Arnold revealed she’s working on a secret writing project that will leave a lasting impact. “It’s something that will still be here, teaching and inspiring, even when I’m gone,” she teased.

Arnold also paid tribute to Keenan Ivory Wayans and In Living Color for paving the way for Martin and other iconic Black sitcoms. “Without In Living Color, Martin wouldn’t have been able to do what it did,” she said. “Keenan opened doors, and Robert Townsend before him. It’s been a stair-step of greatness, and I pray that creativity continues—that’s why I brought my daughter tonight.”

Speaking of Alijah, she’s making major moves of her own. The young starlet just starred in The Lisa Lisa Biopic on Lifetime and recently dropped her single Inline, available on all streaming platforms.

“I’m really focused on both my acting and music career,” Alijah said. “I’ve been dancing with Debbie Allen for 18 years, so I’m getting back into classes and preparing to perform.”