Meagan Good

Meagan Good – Life, Career, and Inspiring Words

Explore the life, career, and legacy of Meagan Good (born August 8, 1981) — from child actor to film and television star, her faith, creative ventures, and memorable quotes about ambition, identity, and purpose.

Introduction

Meagan Monique Good (born August 8, 1981) is a versatile American actress, producer, and cultural voice who has worked steadily in film, television, and media since early childhood. Known for roles in Eve’s Bayou, Think Like a Man, Shazam!, Anchorman 2, and more, she has also become notable for integrating her faith, integrity, and entrepreneurial mindset into her public persona. Her trajectory offers insight into navigating Hollywood on one’s terms while balancing conviction and creativity.

Early Life and Family

Meagan Good was born in the Panorama City neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. Her mother, Tyra Wardlow-Doyle, acted as her manager during her youth; her father, Leondis “Leon” Good, worked as a Los Angeles Police Department officer. She was raised in Canyon Country (now part of Santa Clarita), California, alongside her siblings, including her older sister La’Myia Good, also an actress.

Meagan has said that in her early years she felt “nerdy” and awkward — she described herself as “super nerdy, super skinny, buckteeth, big ole afro,” yet she maintained a confidence that “they just don’t get it yet.”

She began working in entertainment very early, appearing in commercials around age 4.

Career Beginnings & Rise

Meagan Good’s path to stardom was gradual but consistent.

Early work & breakthrough

• As a child and teenager, she made appearances in guest spots on shows like Touched by an Angel, The Parent ‘Hood, Moesha, and others.

• Her film breakthrough came in 1997, when she played the troubled teen Cisely Batiste in Eve’s Bayou. That role earned her critical attention and award nominations.

• From 1998 to 2001, she starred as Nina on the Nickelodeon sitcom Cousin Skeeter, helping transition her from child roles to more sustained visibility.

Transition to adult roles & film & TV success

Over the 2000s and 2010s, Meagan Good successfully shifted into mature and genre-spanning roles:

• She appeared in Deliver Us from Eva (2003) and Roll Bounce (2005).

• She had roles in horror and thriller films: One Missed Call (2008), Saw V (2008), The Unborn (2009)

• She also took part in more commercial/ensemble films like Think Like a Man (2012) and its sequel Think Like a Man Too (2014)

• She appeared in Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues (2013).

• More recently, she joined the DCEU as Darla Dudley (superhero version) in Shazam! (2019) and Shazam! Fury of the Gods (2023).

• In 2024, she co-produces and stars in Tyler Perry’s Divorce in the Black on Amazon Prime Video.

• She also appears and executive produces Terry McMillan Presents: Forever, a Lifetime original movie.

She has also created or co-founded a production company, Freedom Bridge Entertainment, to have more control and influence over her projects.

Personal Life & Beliefs

Meagan Good is open about her faith and how it informs her choices. She identifies as a Protestant Christian, and has stated that she declines roles she feels might “disappoint God.”

She married DeVon Franklin, a film producer and Seventh-day Adventist minister, on June 16, 2012. The couple publicly committed to chastity before marriage. In December 2021, Meagan and DeVon announced they were divorcing after nine years of marriage; their divorce was finalized in June 2022.

As of 2025, she is reported to be married to actor Jonathan Majors, with news of their private marriage ceremony in early 2025.

She has expressed that while she takes the advice and concern of loved ones into account, she lives by her inner conviction, her faith, and her peace of heart.

Personality, Values & Influence

Meagan Good’s public image is multifaceted: she is an actress, producer, role model, and faith-driven creative. Her values — integrity, intentionality, agency — are as much a part of her narrative as her film credits.

She often speaks about:

• Ambition with purpose — not chasing fame for its own sake.

• Authenticity and identity — acknowledging where she’s come from and who she is.

• Faith and boundaries — using conviction to guide professional choices.

• Self-education and growth — believing that one should never stop learning.

She also leverages her production ventures to assert more creative control and create opportunities for stories she cares about.

Memorable Quotes by Meagan Good

Here are some quotes that reflect her mindset, philosophy, and style:

• “Make sure your desire to do what you're aspiring to do is deeper than just fame and being a celebrity.”

• “I love anything vintage. And I love Marc Jacobs and shoes by Giuseppe Zanotti.”

• “The beauty of having short hair is that I actually can wash and style it at home!”

• “When I was growing up, I lived in a neighborhood that was largely Latino and I thought I was Latino!”

• “I always knew I wanted to be an actress, and I had the attitude that I would learn more under people like Samuel L. Jackson, Laurence Fishburne or Mike Myers than from someone who had never starred in a movie.”

These quotes highlight her sincerity, fashion sensibility, determination, and a grounded sense of self.

Lessons from Meagan Good’s Journey

From Meagan Good’s life and career, we can extract several lessons:

1. Start young and stay consistent. Her early entry into acting—and steady work since—shows the power of long-term commitment.

2. Have boundaries and convictions. She has shown that one can navigate a creative industry while staying true to one’s beliefs.

3. Don’t just act, create. By producing and founding her own ventures, she gains agency in storytelling rather than only being subject to others’ choices.

4. Ambition with depth. Her insistence that her goals be grounded in purpose, not fame, is a model for sustainable motivation.

5. Adapt and evolve. She has transitioned across genres (drama, comedy, horror, superhero), mediums (film, TV, production), and life phases (from child actor to mature professional).

Conclusion

Meagan Good’s story is one of persistence, balance, and principle. From her early work as a child actor to her mature roles and her behind-the-scenes ventures, she demonstrates that success can come with integrity and intentionality.

As she continues to shape her career and life — whether through acting, producing, or speaking — she serves as an example for creatives who want to thrive on their terms. If you like, I can also put together a full filmography list, or deep dive into one of her most impactful roles.