It’s impossible to imagine Black Hollywood without the contributions of Meagan Good. The actor has countless roles under her belt, but Good‘s breakthrough came in 1998 as Nina Jones in Cousin Skeeter. The now 40-year-old has amassed a legion of fans since then, all while adding many more titles to her resume, like director, model and philanthropist.
It’s been a pleasure to witness Good’s growth over the last decade, especially within the last several months. Since announcing her split from DeVon Franklin, Good has exemplified strength amid struggle and is continuously proving that even when divorce can feel like “the most painful experience,” joy will soon come.
There’s more to the NAACP nominee than just her love life, so read on to learn about Good’s first-ever movie role and that one time she was starstruck meeting Prince.
1. She made her film debut in 1995's "Friday"
Though Good had starred in commercials since age four, her theatrical debut came in 1995’s Friday, starring Ice Cube and Chris Tucker. In the cult classic, Good plays a child, which is fitting considering she was just 13 at the time.
2. On balancing her faith and career goals
As a Christian woman who speaks openly about her faith, Good is unfortunately often the subject of criticism from fellow God-fearing individuals. Speaking with :BLACKPRINT in December, the Think Like a Man star shared how she handles said judgment.
“For me, it’s always just checking in with God,” Good said, via People. “I know that some of the choices that I make, some of the things that I wear, some of the things I work on, not everybody in the church understands it. And that’s okay because, at the end of the day, it’s between me and God and how I feel convicted in my spirit or don’t feel convicted in my spirit.”
As the years pass, Good said she trusts the talents God has given her and is even more assured she’s honoring Him through her art.
“As I’ve grown and gotten older and grown in my relationship with God, one of the things I’ve realized is that I’m called to sometimes dark spaces because the only way you can light up a space is to go into a dark space and use that light,” she explained. “And for me, it’s about being transparent, it’s about being honest, it’s about being raw, it’s about living in my authenticity and moving as I feel led.”
3. Her first time praying and when her purpose became aligned
By 19, Good had already had numerous film and television gigs under her belt. But, the L.A. native still felt stuck. It wasn’t until she began actively praying and exploring her relationship with God that things began working in her favor.
“I was in that rough transition from a child actor to adult actor and I’m seeing everyone around me working. I was like, ‘Why am I not working, Lord? What’s going on?’ It was the first time that I prayed and said, ‘Wait a second, I didn’t even ask You if this is what I’m supposed to be doing. I didn’t even ask You if I have Your permission. Is this what You have for my life?'” Good told the Christian Post in December.
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In exploring her relationship with Christ, Good also understood that meant possibly walking away from acting. Luckily, God saw fit for Good to still pursue her passion while also following Him. When it’s all said and done, it’s about one thing, according to Good: “What does God think about you, and who has God called you to be?
“It’s interesting because I’m still walking that out in certain seasons,” she continued. “I’m constantly on that journey and constantly in that walk, and it’s really interesting. But as long as you stay close to Him, He’ll guide you, lead you. And that, for me, is walking in that and using what He’s given me.”
4. That time she was starstruck after meeting Prince
Yes, even celebrities can also be starstruck. In an exclusive with BuzzFeed in January 2021, Good detailed the moment she met the late Prince for the first time, and what occurred when the Harlem cast member arrived at his home 30 minutes late.
“As I pull into the driveway, I’m just like, ‘Wow, this house is beautiful.’ Sanaa [Hamri, Something New director] meets me outside and then leads me inside the house. I immediately notice an elevator and I’m like, ‘Who has an elevator in their house?’ I’ve never seen an elevator in anyone’s house. Then as soon as the doors opened and I noticed all the crushed purple velvet, that’s when I was like, ‘Oh my god!’
“I step into the elevator and Sanaa steps behind me, and as soon as the door closes I see the huge emblem. I’m like flipping out inside. We get to the top floor and she yells, ‘Prince, Meagan’s here,’ and I mouth to myself ‘What the f**k?!’ He has mirror panels lining the wall, so as he’s coming around the corner, I see millions of him. He had on these silk pajamas, with his hair up, and these platform sandals.”
5. Angela Bassett, Halle Berry and more dream co-stars
In that same BuzzFeed interview, Good named the list of fellow thespians she’d like to work alongside one day. Angela Bassett and Halle Berry made the shortlist, along with a few other A-list stars, like Leonardo DiCaprio, Denzel Washington, Giovanni Ribisi and Reese Witherspoon.
Even with decades of experience under her belt, Meagan Good is proof that it’s never too late to blossom into the person you’ve been called to be.
