Meagan Good and Cory Hardrict Reflect on Making a Film About Divorce amid Their Own Divorces (Exclusive)

Meagan Good and Cory Hardrict were able to draw inspiration from their own lives when it came to their latest film.

Speaking to PEOPLE at the 30th ESSENCE Festival of Culture on Saturday, July 6, the costars discussed their new movie Divorce in the Black — directed, produced and written by Tyler Perry — and how art imitated life as they both navigated their respective divorces while filming.

Opening up about how they were a support system to one another off-camera during the shoot, Good, 42, tells PEOPLE, "You know what's interesting is some experiences in life, other people can't relate to unless they've experienced it. And what I'll say is that we've been friends for a long time and definitely support each other, definitely wanna see each other win, definitely share some unique experiences, but the biggest thing is that we just want to see each other win and have an opportunity to just act."

"The support that we have is just like, it's less is more, it's silence and we all get it," continues Hardrict, 44. "It's just a look, that's a support, a hug. We're friends and we want to see each other win and we inspire each other. We're all here doing God's work and we're blessed."

"We're just on a mission and we're all walking in peace and love," adds Hardrict. "We love everybody. It's unconditional and that's all it's about peace and love. It's all love."

Good finalized her divorce from producer and author DeVon Franklin in June 2022 after nine years of marriage, while Hardrict finalized his divorce from actress Tia Mowry in April 2023. Hardrict and Mowry, who announced their split after 14 years of marriage in October 2022, share son Cree, 13, and daughter Cairo, 6.

In May 2023, Good began dating actor Jonathan Majors. Back in March, the actress told PEOPLE she was the "happiest I've been in a long time" amid her relationship with the former Marvel star, 34, who was found guilty in December 2023 in a domestic violence case unrelated to Good.

According to an official synopsis, Divorce in the Black tells the story of Ava (Good), a young bank professional who is devastated when her husband Dallas (Hardrict) abandons a marriage that she is determined to fight for "until fate intervenes, revealing Dallas' wicked deeds that have trashed their marriage, and once upon a time sabotaged Ava's destiny to be loved by her true soulmate."

The ESSENCE Festival of Culture brought together some of the biggest names in music for a jam-packed weekend in New Orleans.

The annual culture festival, presented by Coca-Cola, took place from July 4-7 with an evening concert series at the Superdome with superstar performers including Janet Jackson and Usher.

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Birdman & Friends also took the stage at the festival to celebrate 30 years of Cash Money Millionaires, the rap supergroup featuring Birdman, Lil Wayne — who also performed — Mannie Fresh and more emcees.

Additional musicians included legendary hip-hop band The Roots, Grammy winner T-Pain and Outkast’s Big Boi.

Divorce in the Black is on Amazon Prime Video July 11.