Meagan Good reveals she was 'called the N-word more times than you could imagine' as she recalls her 'experience with racism' during childhood
Meagan Good shared her experiences with racism during her upbringing and explained how they fueled her passion for acting.
The 42-year-old star — who stole the spotlight at her Divorce In The Black premiere — revealed that she endured racial slurs while growing up in a predominantly white neighborhood.
'I experienced a lot of racism, being called the N-word more times than you could imagine,' the actress recalled to People on Saturday.
'In the neighborhood I grew up in, until I was about maybe 10 or 11, there was one other Black family, and then it was maybe the end of junior high where more people of color started coming into the neighborhood,' she added.
Acting then became her 'safe space' during childhood, as her mom encouraged her to pursue it as a hobby.
Meagan Good shared her experiences with racism during her upbringing and explained how they fueled her passion for acting; (pictured July)
The 42-year-old star revealed that she endured racial slurs while growing up in a predominantly white neighborhood; (as Nina Jones on 1998 sitcom Cousin Skeeter)
'I think acting, for me, was like, you want to be on the dance team or you want to be a cheerleader or you want to do this sport or that sport. I realized that I was never going to really feel safe in those spaces at that time,' she told the outlet.
'So my mom put me in it as kind of a hobby as a child, and I knew it was something that I wanted to do.'
Meagan's first major television role was the character of Nina on the 1998 Nickelodeon hit series Cousin Skeeter, which aired for three seasons.
In 2001, she transitioned to primetime television with a recurring role on Raising Dad.
Her other television credits include Deception, Californication, Moesha, The Steve Harvey Show, The Division, The Parent ’Hood, My Wife & Kids and All of Us.
In film, she can be seen in Eve's Bayou, Anchorman: The Legend Continues and more recently, Divorce In The Black.
The interview comes after Meagan admitted that her friends 'advised' her against dating Jonathan Majors amid his domestic assault trial.
During her appearance on Today With Hoda & Jenna last week, she briefly touched on her relationship with the 34-year-old Marvel star, who faced legal issues for assaulting and harassing his ex-girlfriend Grace Jabbari in December 2023.
'I experienced a lot of racism, being called the N-word more times than you could imagine,' the actress recalled to People on Saturday; (pictured in 2001)
Acting then became her 'safe space' during childhood, as her mom (pictured) encouraged her to pursue it as a hobby
'In the neighborhood I grew up in, until I was about maybe 10 or 11, there was one other Black family, and then it was maybe the end of junior high where more people of color started coming into the neighborhood,' she addedl (pictured with Jussie Smollett in 1994)
When asked, she acknowledged that 'every friend' had advised her not to publicly acknowledge their romance until his legal situation was resolved.
'At the end of the day, I’m the one who has to live my life. I’m the one who has to get to Heaven one day, prayerfully, and give God an account of what I did,' she explained.
Back in March, she opened up about her relationship with Jonathan at the 2024 NCAAP Image Awards.
Meagan said she's 'in love' with the Marvel actor during the couple's first appearance at a major awards show since he was convicted in a December 2023 domestic violence trial.
'I'm in love, I’m transitioning, I’m healing, I’m growing and I’m getting excited about what's next,' she told People on the red carpet. 'Yeah, just a lot of things at once, but what I can say is, I’m the happiest I’ve been in a long time.'
The former model, who was first linked to Majors in May 2023, had recently learned that her show Harlem was renewed for a third season and was expected to arrive sometime this year.
'It is like a crazy time in general,' Meagan added at the time. 'I just have peace in my heart and I have joy in my heart, and I love myself and the skin that I’m in and the season that I’m in and the growth that’s happening.'
When it comes to maintaining a positive outlook while navigating her romance with Majors amidst his legal issues, the star expressed that she is keeping the faith.
'I keep my eyes on God, that’s the focus,' she explained. 'And I stay true to myself and I stay authentic. I know what I know that I know. And in time, everything else just catches up with what you know, if you’re true to yourself and you’re authentic.'
The interview comes after Meagan admitted that her friends 'advised' her against dating Jonathan Majors amid his domestic assault trial; (2024 NCAAP Image Awards)
Meagan briefly touched on her relationship with the 34-year-old Marvel star, who faced legal issues for assaulting and harassing his ex-girlfriend Grace Jabbari in December 2023; ( \pictured in March)
The NCAAP Image Awards marked Meagan and Jonathan's second public appearance as a couple at an event this month.
Previously, the pair had stepped out together for the 7th African-American Film Critics Association Special Achievement Awards Luncheon in Los Angeles on March 3rd.
On the red carpet, Jonathan got candid about his relationship with Meagan, telling Extra: 'We're in love... We're doing good, thanks for asking.'
Meagan chimed in too, saying, 'We're doing great. God's good.'
