Tichina Arnold Swore off Marriage After Her Second Divorce

These days, you may recognize Tichina Arnold from her role as Tina Butler on the CBS sitcom The Neighborhood, but the New York native will soon be entering her fourth decade in show business after starting her on-screen career at the tender age of 12.

Tichina has been working consistently since the early ‘80s, starring in beloved TV series such as Martin and Everybody Hates Chris. But unfortunately, the now 51-year-old hasn’t been as lucky in love. A few years ago, her second marriage ended in a sex tape scandal.

The actress isn’t currently married to anyone but she has been hitched twice before, and both unions ended after four years. Tichina wed professional boxer Lamon Brewster in 1991, but the couple divorced in 1995 during the height of her Martin fame. 

She went on to welcome a daughter named Alijah in 2004 with her then boyfriend Carvin Haggins. The pair broke up three years later. Tichina eventually walked down the aisle a second time in 2012, tying the knot with professional basketball coach Rico Hines.

The duo exchanged vows in Honolulu, Hawaii following a five-month engagement. "We decided to forego lots of the traditional elements such as a wedding cake and a white dress for me," the R&B singer, who opted for a blush gown, told Essence at the time. 

"We both wanted a wedding that was reflective of our personalities and our normal everyday lifestyles — and that is good friends, good food, and good fun," she added. "The best part of the day was when Rico pledged his commitment to my daughter, Alijah, because I know that he will always be there for her as she grows and matures into a creative and talented woman."

Sadly, the couple split in 2016 after Tichina discovered that Rico had made a sex tape with another woman. When the video leaked, the Happily Divorced alum admitted that it wasn’t the first time her husband had cheated on her.

"It’s beyond the fact that the infidelity, it happens. We make mistakes. And we fixed a few mistakes of his prior infidelities," she explained in an interview with People. "But when it becomes a pattern, then it’s no longer my problem. There’s a point where you eventually have to jump ship and save yourself."

Tichina revealed that she felt "betrayed" after seeing the sex tape. "I had that feeling of, you know, beyond him being my husband, this is supposed to be my friend, my confidant. Somebody who I can trust," she shared. 

"When you can’t trust the person that you sleep with every night, there’s a problem," she continued. "I could no longer lay with him. And it doesn’t make him a horrible person. We all make mistakes, but not with me and not on my time and not in my life."

The experience certainly changed the way Tichina feels about marriage. "Getting married is not gonna happen again. I know that for sure," she declared following the divorce. "I always say three strikes, you’re out. I don’t even want to make it to three strikes."

New episodes of The Neighborhood air Mondays at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.