Melika Payne is the longtime wife of American actor Carl Anthony Payne II, best known for Martin and The Cosby Show. She is also known for her former relationship with R&B singer Bobby Brown.
Melika and Bobby have a son, Landon Brown, who was born in 1986. She later married Carl in 1992. Melika and Carl have built a family together and are reported to have four sons in total, including Landon. They nearly divorced after separating in 2012 but later reconciled.
Melika Michem Williams’s Profile Overview
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full name | Melika Michem Williams |
| Known as | Melika Payne |
| Reported date of birth | April 10, 1969 |
| Age | 57 years old as of October 2026 |
| Reported birthplace | Los Angeles, California, United States |
| Nationality | American |
| Husband | Carl Anthony Payne II |
| Marriage year | 1992 |
| Former partner | Bobby Brown |
| Children | Four sons, according to family reports |
| Known sons | Landon Brown, Malek Payne, Carl Anthony Payne III |
| Reported education | Theatre arts studies |
| Reported acting credit | Swirl (2003) |
| Current profession | Not clearly documented |
| Net worth | Not reliably known |
Melika Payne’s Early Life
Melika Payne was reportedly born Melika Michem Williams on April 10, 1969, in Los Angeles, California.
Based on that reported birth date, she is 57 years old as of October 2026.
Melika is American and is described in published profiles as African-American.
Little reliable information is available about her childhood. The names of her parents and siblings have not been publicly confirmed.
Melika Payne’s Education
Details about Melika’s education are limited.
She is reported to have studied theatre arts. Another secondary source describes her as a college dropout.
The name of the college she attended and the exact course she studied have not been reliably confirmed. There is also no confirmed information showing that she earned a college degree.
What Does Melika Payne Do for a Living?
Melika’s current profession is not clearly documented.
Some online profiles describe her as an actress, entrepreneur, and homemaker. However, there is little reliable information showing a long professional career in acting or business.
She has generally maintained a private life despite her family’s connections to the entertainment industry.
Melika Payne’s Acting Credit
Melika has one reported acting credit.
According to IMDb information cited in published biographies, she played Donna in Swirl in 2003.
There is no widely documented film or television career beyond this reported role.
Melika Payne and Bobby Brown
Before marrying Carl Anthony Payne II, Melika was in a relationship with R&B singer Bobby Brown.
Published reports say Melika and Bobby began dating around 1984.
They were both young at the time.
Their relationship resulted in the birth of their son, Landon Brown, in 1986.
Melika and Bobby reportedly ended their relationship around 1987. They continued to share responsibility for their son.
Who Is Bobby Brown?
Bobby Brown is an American R&B singer, songwriter, dancer, and entertainer.
He became famous as a member of New Edition before starting a successful solo career.
His best-known solo songs include My Prerogative, Every Little Step, Roni, On Our Own, and Rock Wit’cha.
After his relationship with Melika ended, Bobby married singer Whitney Houston in 1992.
Bobby and Whitney had a daughter, Bobbi Kristina Brown, who was Landon’s paternal half-sister.
Melika and Bobby Brown’s Son Landon
Landon Brown is Melika’s oldest publicly known son.
He was reportedly born on June 22, 1986.
Based on Melika’s reported April 1969 birthday, she was 17 when Landon was born.
Landon later became involved in entertainment, including music and film.
Landon Brown’s Relationship With His Parents
Landon continued to have a relationship with Bobby after his parents separated.
He has said that Bobby would pick him up and take him on trips around the world.
Landon also remained close to his mother.
In 2012, he shared a photograph of himself with Melika and joked about why people thought he did not look exactly like his father.
How Did Melika Payne Meet Carl Anthony Payne II?
Melika and Carl reportedly first crossed paths in 1986.
According to secondary reports, Carl made a small appearance in Bobby Brown’s Girl Next Door music video while Melika was still connected with Bobby.
The exact date when Melika and Carl began dating is not clearly documented.
They eventually developed a relationship and married in 1992.
Who Is Carl Anthony Payne II?
Carl Anthony Payne II is an American actor, producer, director, and comedian.
He is best known for playing Cole Brown in the television sitcom Martin, which starred Martin Lawrence.
Carl also played Walter “Cockroach” Bradley on The Cosby Show.
His other television and film credits include Rock Me, Baby, The Game, George Lopez, Conflict of Interest, and Marry Me for Christmas.
He has also played Myles Wilson on Nickelodeon’s Tyler Perry’s Young Dylan.
Carl has worked in entertainment for several decades.
Melika and Carl Anthony Payne II’s Marriage
Melika married Carl Anthony Payne II in 1992.
Some reports suggest the wedding took place in November, but an exact wedding date has not been reliably established.
Their marriage has lasted for more than three decades, although they went through a period of separation.
Carl also became a father figure to Melika’s son Landon.
Carl Helped Raise Landon Brown
Landon was still young when his mother married Carl.
Carl helped raise him as part of the Payne family.
Landon has reportedly referred to Carl as his “other dad.”
At the same time, Bobby Brown remained involved in Landon’s life.
Landon therefore grew up with both his biological father and stepfather playing roles in his upbringing.
How Many Children Does Melika Payne Have?
Melika is reported to be the mother of four sons.
Her oldest son, Landon Brown, is from her relationship with Bobby Brown.
She reportedly has three sons from her marriage to Carl Anthony Payne II.
The publicly identified children include:
- Landon Brown
- Malek Payne
- Carl Anthony Payne III
The supplied sources do not reliably identify the fourth son by name.
Some online profiles incorrectly call Landon Melika’s stepson. Landon is her biological son. He is Carl Anthony Payne II’s stepson.
Malek Payne
Malek Payne is one of Melika and Carl’s sons.
There is limited public information about his personal life.
Carl has shared family posts involving Malek. In 2016, he was reportedly on set with Malek while directing the film Misguided Behavior.
Malek’s exact date of birth and current profession are not reliably documented in the available information.
Carl Anthony Payne III
Carl Anthony Payne III is another of Melika and Carl’s publicly identified sons.
Little reliable information is available about his age, education, career, or personal life.
The family has generally kept details about the younger children private.
Melika and Carl Payne’s Separation
Melika and Carl experienced serious problems in their marriage after many years together.
Reports say the couple separated around 2012.
Their separation eventually resulted in Melika seeking a divorce.
Melika Payne’s Divorce Filing
Melika reportedly filed for divorce from Carl in 2014.
Some secondary sources incorrectly give 2012 as the filing year. Reports based on the divorce documents indicate that 2012 was the year they separated, while the filing came later.
Melika reportedly cited irreconcilable differences.
Reports about the divorce petition also say she requested sole physical custody and joint legal custody involving their minor child or children at the time.
She reportedly requested spousal support as well.
These were requests made during the divorce process and should not be confused with final court orders.
Did Melika and Carl Anthony Payne II Divorce?
Melika and Carl did not complete their divorce.
They reconciled, and Melika reportedly withdrew her divorce petition.
The couple remained together after their reconciliation.
Recent reports from 2025 continued to identify Carl and Melika as husband and wife.
Carl Anthony Payne II on Their Marriage
Carl has spoken publicly about what he learned from his long marriage.
During a 2022 FOX 5 appearance, he said couples need to learn how to handle disagreements.
He explained that communication, growing together, learning how to argue, and choosing which disagreements matter have been important in his marriage.
Carl’s Public Message to Melika
Carl publicly thanked Melika in an Instagram post in 2019.
He described her as the mother of their four sons and said she had supported him for more than 25 years.
The post provided public evidence that the couple had reconciled after their earlier separation and divorce filing.
It also supports reports that Melika is the mother of four sons.
Melika Payne’s Public Appearances
Melika keeps a lower public profile than her husband but has accompanied him to entertainment events.
On June 15, 2022, Melika and Carl attended a private screening and experience for Martin: The Reunion.
She also attended the 2022 BET Awards with Carl on June 26, 2022, at Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.
The couple has also been photographed at an NAACP Image Awards Dinner.
These appearances are among the clearer recent examples of Melika attending public events with her husband.
Is Melika Payne Still Married?
Based on the latest information provided, Melika and Carl Anthony Payne II remain married.
They married in 1992, separated around 2012, and faced a divorce filing around 2014.
They later reconciled.
There is no reliable information in the supplied sources showing that they completed a divorce after their reconciliation.
Where Does Melika Payne Live?
Secondary sources place Melika and her family in Northridge, California.
One source publishes detailed information about a property connected with the family. Exact private residential details are unnecessary for explaining her biography and should not be repeated.
Her precise current residence has not been independently confirmed.
Melika Payne’s Net Worth
Melika’s personal net worth is not reliably known.
One secondary biography estimates it at around $1 million, but there is no clear financial evidence supporting that amount.
Her current income, business earnings, investments, and personal assets have not been publicly documented.
The $1 million figure should therefore be treated only as an unverified online estimate.
Melika Payne on Social Media
Melika maintains a low public profile online.
The available sources do not identify a clearly verified public Instagram, Facebook, X, or TikTok account belonging to her.
Much of the publicly available information about her family comes from posts shared by Carl or Landon.
What Is Melika Payne Doing Now?
Melika’s exact current occupation is not publicly known.
Recent reports continue to identify her as Carl Anthony Payne II’s wife and the mother of their family.
She occasionally attends entertainment events with Carl but otherwise keeps much of her personal life private.
There is no strong evidence of a major current acting or entertainment career.
Melika Payne’s Family Connections
Melika’s family has several connections to music, television, and film.
Her former partner Bobby Brown became famous with New Edition and through his solo music career.
Her husband Carl Anthony Payne II became widely known through The Cosby Show and Martin.
Her son Landon Brown has also explored entertainment through music and film.
Melika herself has one reported acting credit in Swirl.
Things to Know About Melika Payne
- Her reported birth name is Melika Michem Williams.
- She is widely known as Melika Payne.
- She was reportedly born on April 10, 1969.
- She is 57 years old as of October 2026 based on that reported date.
- She is reportedly from Los Angeles, California.
- Her parents and siblings have not been reliably identified.
- She is reported to have studied theatre arts.
- Her current profession is not clearly documented.
- She reportedly played Donna in Swirl in 2003.
- She dated R&B singer Bobby Brown during the 1980s.
- She and Bobby have a son named Landon Brown.
- Landon was reportedly born on June 22, 1986.
- Melika married Carl Anthony Payne II in 1992.
- Carl is known for playing Cole Brown on Martin.
- Carl also appeared as Walter “Cockroach” Bradley on The Cosby Show.
- Carl helped raise Landon as his stepson.
- Melika is reported to have four sons.
- Malek Payne and Carl Anthony Payne III are among her sons with Carl.
- Melika and Carl reportedly separated around 2012.
- She reportedly filed for divorce in 2014.
- She cited irreconcilable differences.
- Melika later withdrew the divorce petition after they reconciled.
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