Plot Twist: Meagan Good’s Trainer Played Matchmaker for Ex-Husband DeVon Franklin and His New Fiancée
Pastor DeVon Franklin, 46, is headed to the altar again. The Seventh-day Adventist has proposed to his girlfriend, fitness influencer Maria Castillo, two years after divorcing his first wife, Meagan Good.
Castillo, 29, reportedly said yes to Franklin’s proposal during a holiday vacation on Dec. 27, 2024, which was revealed in an interview with People magazine.
The couple wore matching white outfits in their Hawaii-set photographs as his wife-to-be seemed to be under the impression they were posing for photos at a scenic spot.
“Finding Maria has been one of God’s greatest blessings in my life, so I wanted the proposal to be as special as our love,” Franklin told People.
Franklin took her to a cliff overlooking the ocean, where he proposed with the Carlotta Sarenas-designed ring on one knee.
“We went to Maui for vacation, I told her we were gonna do a photo shoot and during the photo shoot I surprised her with the proposal!” he continued. “It was truly a magical moment and I can’t wait to spend a magical life with Maria!”
After accepting the proposal, Castillo reportedly jumped up and down in excitement before kissing her now-fiancé and telling him, “You’re a beautiful human.” Franklin replied, “We’re beautiful together.”
After being together for nearly a year, the two seem be enjoying their whirlwind romance after going public with their relationship last October.
They were reportedly set up by her then-business partner, Mike “T” Trusdale, a fellow fitness instructor. Trusdale, the same person who has trained Franklin and his ex-wife for over five years, organized a brunch date with Franklin and Castillo in the spring of 2024.
He and Castillo previously hosted a show called “TRAINER TALK,” where they discuss all things fitness and gym related.
Prior to dating Castillo, Franklin was married to Good, 43, for close to a decade between June 2012 to June 2022, citing “irreconcilable differences” as the cause for the breakup.
“We celebrate almost a decade of marriage together and a love that is eternal. There’s no one at fault, we believe this is the next best chapter in the evolution of our love,” the ex-couple said in a joint statement to People in 2021.
Like her ex-husband, the “Think Like a Man” actress has moved on. She has been dating “Creed III” actor Jonathan Majors, 35, since May 2023.
The pair’s relationship went public during Majors trial for his domestic violence case, but they didn’t reveal their engagement until November 2024.
Good and Franklin revealing their marital announcements just three months apart caused some commotion online, with many forming opinions about their respective plans to wed for a second time to other people.
It’s official! Johnathan Majors and @meagangood announce their engagement on #EBONYPower100 red carpet. pic.twitter.com/9MbrykISRA
— EBONY MAGAZINE (@EBONY) November 18, 2024
“Nice to see him and Meagan have both moved on to new engagements and found love again. Congrats to them both,” a Shade Room follower posted in the gossip blog’s comment section.
Franklin also caught flak as some questioned the Franklin Entertainment founder’s motives, writing, “I FEEL like he’s doing this out of spite. Lmfao.”
In addition, numerous people suggested Franklin’s fiancée has an unavoidable resemblance to Good. One person asked, “Is it me or [does] he have a type?” Another person joked, “I thought that was Meg… he definitely has a type.”
A more supportive comment read, “Beautiful couple. Just hope the church approves [of] her since they gave [Meagan] hell.”
Franklin and Good’s relationship faced constant scrutiny with Good being targeted by fellow Christians for dressing too provocatively for a preacher’s wife.
“The crazy thing is how backwards some of us can be as Christians,” she said in a 2016 interview with Essence. She went on to say that her wardrobe choices would remain between her and God.
The conversation about Franklin’s new engagement also played on People’s Instagram page, where one commenter wondered, “Hopefully the church ladies don’t run this one off.”
Another wondered, “This is the first preacher who doesn’t date or marry within the church. Personal trainer is a Christian?”
One person even questioned the timing, writing, “Umm yall didn’t learn the last time. Dating someone for a yr is not enough time to actually get to know someone but I’m happy for them.”
Franklin began dating Good in 2011 and proposed in 2012. They divorced in 2022 after almost a decade of marriage.
It’s unclear exactly how long he’s been with Castillo, but they were first spotted together in March 2024. They officially went public with their relationship one month before Good revealed her engagement to Majors.
Franklin and Castillo started to receive significant press coverage as a pair in November 2024 after attending industry events such as the Merge Awards.
“I’m still in awe of how it all happened! It was such a beautiful surprise, and I can’t even put into words how happy I am!” Castillo recalled to People about Franklin proposing.
The celebrity trainer continued, “To know I’ll be spending the rest of my life with this incredible man is a dream come true. Here’s to forever with the love of my life!”