Last year, power couple DeVon Franklin and Meagan Good revealed they would be splitting following nine years of marriage. It came as a shock to many as the couple was such a source of inspiration and knowledge to other couples looking to achieve their level of happiness and success. Despite the marriage coming undone, the pair have remained amicable publicly, and both have been moving on with some major professional projects. For Franklin, this means stepping into the role of a marriage counselor and relationship expert on the series “Married at First Sight.”
“Married at First Sight” is a Lifetime series that follows a group of singles who have decided they are tired of traditional dating and courting and prefer to be matched to someone by professionals. The catch is, they do not meet their match until the day of their wedding, when they are introduced at the alter. The radical premise originated in Denmark and has been adapted for American television. Over its 14 seasons, they have matched 54 couples. To date, only 14 of those couples are still married.
In a lengthy Instagram post, DeVon revealed that the series approached him to join the show well before he and Meagan announced their separation. Following the divorce going public, he felt he needed to step away from the job because his marriage had failed and he would possibly look like a hypocrite telling others how to navigate their unions.
Franklin says the show producers did not care and still wanted him to join the cast. “They came to me and said that didn’t matter to them because they still felt like I could help their couples.” DeVon began to realize that his biggest fear was that of people’s opinions and what they would say. Eventually, he realized he could not live in fear and decided to take on the role, which has turned out to be an incredible fit for him. Franklin says that he has been able to draw from his experiences and really lead these couples from a place of understanding. “When I went to do the show, something powerful happened. Everything I’ve been through, I was able to draw upon to help a couple successfully sort through their issues.”
Franklin shared his story as a way to empower others to live truthfully and authentically without the pressures of being “perfect.” “I was trying to get through this life perfect, and without failure, now I’m just living to get through it truthfully, and if what I’ve learned about love and relationships can help someone, then I’m here for it,” he said in his post.
Fans supported Franklin in the comments and championed his honesty. One marriage counselor chimed in and admitted that the most useful she ever felt to her patients was following her own divorce as well. “During this time, I was more effective than I’d ever been. Many people were blessed, yes you still have something to say. And there’s plenty of work to be done.”
Franklin and Good have handled the divorce incredibly well so far, already proving to be inspirations even after their marriage. Their joint statement last year read, “after much prayer and consideration, we have decided to go into our futures separately but forever connected.”
Good agreed to let Franklin handle the divorce proceedings and has not shown up to court at all. Instead, the pair have decided to split everything evenly and not ask for spousal support.
The pair were famous for their pre-wedding build up, as they publicly announced that they were waiting to get married before being intimate. They even wrote a book about their experience titled “The Wait.”
Since their split, Good has been very busy. The actress stars in the Amazon Prime series Harlem, which is already gearing up for its second season. She has also been very candid about life after love and wants to empower women to put themselves first. In an interview with People Magazine this month, she said that she is learning to be less of a people pleaser. “I’ve learned that not everybody’s going to get you or like you, and that’s okay. And knowing who your tribe is and being really thankful for that, and knowing sometimes they’re not your tribe, that’s okay too.”
Meagan is the executive producer on a new series titled À La Carte for streaming platform ALLBLK and is enjoying the new challenges of being behind the lens. She says she currently has no home and has been enjoying traveling for work and being a bit of a nomad.
