It’s a full-circle summer for DeVon Franklin—actor, producer, author, spiritual teacher—and now, Off-Broadway performer. But don’t call it a comeback. Call it a reintroduction.

“I think I’m in my re-presenting era,” Franklin says with a thoughtful pause, his words measured yet energized. “I just want to explore all that I am created to be, and I want others to do the same.”

For more than a decade, Franklin has been the man behind some of Hollywood’s most heartfelt and faith-forward films. Named one of Variety’s “Top 10 Producers to Watch,” he’s helped bring to life movies like Breakthrough, Miracles from Heaven, and most recently, Flamin’ Hot. But in 2025, something’s shifted. The camera has turned, the lights are on him—and Franklin is stepping boldly into the frame.

In a culture obsessed with labels and lanes, Franklin is rejecting the notion of staying in one. “People online are like, ‘What are you trying to do—are you acting now?’ And I say, I’m just God’s son. I’m here to explore all that I am created to be.”

From Pulpit to Prime Time

In Divorced Sistas, Tyler Perry’s BET+ drama that premiered June 10, Franklin plays Pastor Jeff, a man of the cloth whose home life is unraveling just as quickly as his church influence is rising. It’s a character who challenges the pristine image of pastoral perfection—and that’s exactly why Franklin said yes.

“What I loved is that all was not well in Jeff’s life,” he shares. “He’s trying to figure out the balance between his calling and his home life. He’s challenged, conflicted. Doesn’t always say or do the right thing—but he’s trying. And that’s real. Just because someone is a pastor doesn’t mean they’re perfect.”

Audiences have noticed. “People online are not liking me,” he laughs. “They say I’m too mean to my wife. And I’m like, y’all—it’s a part! I’m doing my job.”

He doesn’t take the criticism personally—in fact, he embraces it. “That’s the highest compliment. If people are mad, that means I’m doing the role justice.”

Franklin is fully aware of the tension he now walks—as an actor, a faith leader, and a storyteller committed to truth. “What I love about Tyler Perry is he always expands on his work and creates dramatic storylines with characters that have compelling dilemmas. When I read the character, I liked that he was trying to figure out the balance between his calling and his home life,” he explains. “So often in different projects, preachers or pastors are portrayed in a very inauthentic way. And I felt like this was a real dude with some real issues.”

He isn’t just playing a man of faith grappling with ego and conflict—he is that man in some ways, navigating a public journey of growth, vulnerability, and reinvention. And that journey reaches its rawest form this summer, not on TV, but on stage.

A One-Man Show of Truth

From July 18–19, Franklin will perform his one-man show at Audible’s Minetta Lane Theater in New York City. A deeply personal blend of spoken word, testimony, and emotional excavation, the performance is centered on his divorce, healing, and spiritual reckoning in the years that followed.

“This is the most vulnerable I’ve ever been,” he admits. “There are things I’ve never talked about, emotions I’ve never shown publicly. But vulnerability leads to victory. And I hope this can be a model—for men, for Black men—to say, ‘It’s okay to feel. It’s okay to be seen.’”

It’s not just a performance—it’s an offering.

He continues: “We think we’re living life, but so often we’re just following what we’re told—parents, church, culture. But real life begins when we follow our own path, our own voice, our own relationship with God.”

The show, which will be released on Audible in 2026, is his way of living truthfully—and inviting others to do the same.

More Than a Multi-Hyphenate

Even as Franklin explores these vulnerable corners of himself, his work behind the scenes continues to thrive. He recently wrapped Ruth & Boaz, a modern reimagining of the biblical story for Netflix, in partnership with Tyler Perry. The film stars Phylicia Rashad, Idola Leffley, and Soraya, and offers a new lens on love and destiny.

And he’s not stopping there. Relationship Goals, a romantic comedy starring Kelly Rowland and Method Man, is also on the way, inspired by Pastor Mike Todd’s bestselling book.

“Both of these projects are about love—one dramatic, one comedic,” Franklin explains. “Because I believe strong relationships are the foundation of a strong culture and strong families. And I’m just foolish enough to believe that movies can play a role in restoring that.”

From Reinvention to Revelation

Franklin’s journey isn’t just a career pivot—it’s a spiritual awakening. He calls it his “re-presenting era,” not because he’s changing, but because he’s finally letting the full version of himself be seen.

“I’m not going to let who I think I am limit me from who I really am,” he says. “And I’m certainly not going to let other people’s opinions decide that for me.”

Whether portraying a flawed pastor, producing redemptive love stories, or standing alone on stage pouring out his truth, DeVon Franklin is doing something rare in entertainment—he’s growing out loud.

And we’re listening.