In case you didn’t realize it, former Black-ish star Marsai Martin is grown now. Our ESSENCE Black Women in Hollywood host, 21, is old enough to go red carpet official with her boyfriend, and she seems to have bagged her a good one. The G20 star popped out with her man, Nascar driver Rajah Caruth, for their first industry event since confirming her relationship status last year. Photographed together at Beyonce and Jay-Z’s glamorous Gold Party, which took place after the Oscars, the doting couple looked cheerful and fly. Here’s five things to know about him and what she’s said about their connection.
Sealed With a Kiss
Martin confirmed her relationship with Caruth, 23, during a Breakfast Club interview in June 2025. The actress announcing she was off the market confirmed fan’s suspicions, which began in 2024 when Caruth was pictured warmly kissing Martin on the head during the Wright Brand 250 race in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina. The following year, they were spotted together at a NASCAR event, further leading fans to believe they were in a relationship. And they were right.
My Man, My Man, My Man
“He’s the best,” Martin said of her racer boo during The Breakfast Club interview. “He’s my patience, he’s my stability,” she added. During the interview, the actress praised the NASCAR driver’s emotional intelligence, a quality she and many others are looking for in a partner. “A lot of men kind of lack vulnerability and being able to have that emotion to have this kind of stance of what a man should look like,” the producer explained.
Martin, who became the youngest executive producer in Hollywood history at age 14 with her work on the comedy Little, also described her man as a “special person” who is “emotional,” “vulnerable,” and “understanding.”
Common Characteristics
They seem like the perfect pairing considering they’re both young and successful, focused on scaling their respective careers. Like Marsai, Caruth began his career at a young age. He began racing as a 16-year-old.
An Innovative Start
The athlete, who was raised between Washington, D.C., and Brooklyn, New York, got his start by mastering virtual racing. Eventually, his talent was recognized and he was accepted into NASCAR’s Drive for Diversity program.
All He Does Is Win
In 2020, Caruth made history as the first African American driver to win a late-model race at Greenville-Pickens Speedway. The winning streak didn’t stop because in 2024 he became the third African American driver to win a race in NASCAR’s National Touring Series.
We aren’t sure details surrounding how the couple met but we are glad to see them going strong!