Rajah Caruth is currently making strides in the NASCAR Truck Series, having chalked up three top-fives and nine top-10s so far this season, not to mention a hard-earned victory at Nashville. But the 23-year-old isn’t just running hot on the racetrack.
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Off the track, he’s holding his own in the game of life too. So, when asked about the last time he got overly competitive, Caruth didn’t hesitate to call out his friendly rivalry with his girlfriend, actress Marsai Martin.
In Jeff Gluck’s 12 Questions segment, Caruth admitted, “My girlfriend and I play video games together, and she’s really good at Mortal Kombat. I can’t even lie. She kicks my tail. I have a very bad losing streak against her. She’s really good at video games.”
“So I’m definitely competitive in video games and basketball. Whether it’s H-O-R-S-E or playing with buddies. But I can’t play too hard, don’t want to blow out a knee or anything.”
While Martin clearly holds the upper hand when the controller’s in her hand, especially against Caruth, her talents reach far beyond gaming.
Born Caila Marsai Martin in 2004, she shot to fame in Hollywood with a string of breakthrough roles. Her defining moment came on the ABC sitcom Black-ish, but she soon turned heads for more than just her acting chops.
At just 14, Martin became the youngest person in Hollywood history to both star in and executive produce a major studio film: 2019’s fantasy comedy Little. The buzz didn’t stop there.
Her debut comedy film cemented her as a rising powerhouse, and she soon inked a first-look production deal with Universal Pictures. That success laid the foundation for Genius Productions, her own banner, aimed at amplifying underrepresented voices.
Martin, who hails from Plano, Texas, was soon recognized by Forbes, landing her on the 2020 30 Under 30 list. That nod celebrated not only her breakout turn on Black-ish, but also her barrier-breaking work behind the scenes and her growing trophy shelf as an award-winning actress.
As she turns 21 this August, Martin continues to wear many hats. Raised as an only child in Little Elm, where she shared a home with her parents, grandmother, and great-grandmother, she remains deeply rooted in family and community.
Her passion for the culture at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) led her to organize outdoor festivals, like the one she hosted in 2023, to uplift and celebrate students from these chronically underfunded institutions.
