Meagan Good Exclusive Covershoot and Interview

Meagan Good x FAULT Magazine

Photographer – Amanda Dienhart @snapsstudio

Stylist – Wilford lenov @wilfordlenov 

Hair – Maisha Oliver @maishaoliver

Mua – Jorge Monroy @makeupbyjmonroy

Stylist Assistant: Kyle Hayes @kamikazekyle

Interview/ Editor: Miles Holder

An accomplished actress, producer and director, Meagan Good’s portfolio has been a lifetime in the making. With her first television appearance taking place nearly thirty years ago, Meagan has now only witnessed the changes in modern televised history; she’s helped shape it.

With her latest movie ‘Death Saved My Life’ still reeling in our minds, we caught up with Meagan to discuss her career, Black history and, of course, her FAULTs.

We recently lost the legendary Cicely Tyson; as a black female actress, how important was seeing yourself represented in media during your development?

Meagan Good: It was everything. Growing up in a predominately white neighbourhood, my mother was my only real example of a successful black woman. So it was invaluable to see other black women from all walks of life, shapes and shades in film and TV. Their representation showed me that the possibilities for what I could achieve were endless. There characters and examples informed me and reminded me that I am worthy and didn’t have to settle for other people’s limited vision of what I could accomplish.

What would you say has been the most challenging aspect of your acting journey?

Meagan Good: Right now, I would say growing up in the industry made me fearful of disappointing people. It’s taken a lifetime to not only discover but walk in the fact that not everybody is a part of your tribe. Not everybody will see the best in you, no matter how much of your heart you show them. And that’s OK. It has a lot less to do with you than you actually think.

As someone who has been in the industry for so many years, what’s been the most positive change you’ve seen occur?

Meagan Good: Seeing women of colour take more diverse leading roles than just what people culturally assume represents us. We are not monolithic – so it’s been incredible to not just see us step outside the box but to see so many of us begin to get opportunities instead of one or two of us. I think something that was tangibly shifting for me was about nine years ago when I did a show for NBC. I was only the second black woman to lead a show on the network in 30 years after Diane Carroll. And for the first time, I looked around and saw Viola, Kerry, Taraji, Gabrielle, and so many of us leading our own TV shows – it was sadly mind-blowing but also beautiful and affirming that we were beginning to head in the right direction.

No two of your parts are similar; is this by design or chance?

Meagan Good: I try to choose characters that challenge me and are in contrast with what I’ve done growing up. Or sometimes, I just pick specific projects that I feel have an incredible message and something I want to be a part of sharing with the world.

As an accomplished actress, director and producer who has been working for so many years, have you taken the time to sit back and reflect on how far you’ve come, or has life occurred so quickly that it has passed in a blur?

Meagan Good: [laughs] in some ways, I’m always conscious of how far I have to go; sometimes, you forget to take a moment and be super present in how far God has allowed you to come. I’m always thankful and grateful, but sometimes I forget that I’ve done well.

You’ve done hundreds of interviews over the years, what’s something people never ask you?

Meagan Good: I think I’ve been asked just about everything. But one thing that comes to mind is nobody has asked me if I would ever want to win some type of award. I don’t dream of winning an Oscar – I actually dream of winning, in essence, brunch women in Hollywood award. The reason being; is the word is less about what I’ve accomplished in my career as an actress but more about what I’ve accomplished as a human being, the impact I’ve had, and what I’ve put into the world. That, to me, is more important than any other accolade.

It’s Black history month; what moment in Black history do you feel has been most influential in your life?

Meagan Good: Honestly, there’s just too many to choose one, and we still have such a far away to go. But I will say something that was incredibly impactful to me was witnessing our first Black president and First Lady.

What’s something new you learned about yourself during lockdown?

Meagan Good: That I had a lot of work to do on myself in terms of healing – sometimes you are just in the moment, living life, and you learn how to pack things away or to keep pushing with a smile regardless. At some point, those things do catch up to you; it has been a blessing to be able to intentionally take the time out to sit down and deal with my stuff and start the healing process in a few different areas.

When you look back on your previous parts, which character was the hardest to let go of at the project’s commencement?

Meagan Good: There’s been a lot of characters that I really love to play. I think one of the hardest ones to let go of was playing Nina on Cousin Skeeter. I played her longer than I played any other character, and she was my teenagehood in a lot of ways. Robert Richard and I basically grew up together on that set. I was ready to go, but it was tough to leave. It was bittersweet and, in a lot of ways, the true symbol of walking into adulthood and out of safety. I’m thankful I got to live it that way and live and breathe her at such a crucial and informative time in my life. That show and experience was definitely a blessing.

What is your FAULT?

Meagan Good: I always want people to see my heart. But that’s OK. God doesn’t show it to everybody – only those He trusts it with.