The hosts of Go Off, Sis, the podcast from Refinery29’s Unbothered, want to go on the record to say: There can never be enough beautiful depictions of Black love in pop culture. And they’re not talking about "struggle love" or "ride-or-die love" or "us-versus-the-world love." They mean love that is healthy, whole, and supportive.
There's no better guest star than Meagan Good, who has served Black love with producer (and husband) DeVon Franklin both IRL and onscreen. "[We need to find] different ways to get more positive shows out into the world, get more positive images, more positive representation," she says about the portrayal of Black love in Hollywood.
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But even though she'd been working in film long before her breakout role in the 1997 drama Eve’s Bayou, Good reveals that she didn't always feel the love from the industry. “We’re often told in some capacity that we’re at the bottom of the totem pole and it goes even further when you get into colorism,” says the star of Amazon Studios’ forthcoming TV series Harlem.
This is why representation matters in front of and behind the camera, explains R29 senior editor Kathleen Newman-Bremang, especially when it comes to how stories are told, who tells them, and which ones are blessed with the green light and greenbacks.
“'Pay me what I deserve' is a new notion for me, because growing up in the business you’re just so happy to get the job,” says Good, who has had to “unlearn” those don’t-rock-the-boat habits. “I could be number one on the call list, but the white man who is number two is still being paid more than me… [The industry has] a long way to go. We’re certainly making some big strides, and I’m super thankful for that.”
For more on the Black unicorns she’s met in Hollywood and why she insisted on wearing a wedding ring in 50 Cent’s “21 Questions” video, listen to the full episode, below.
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