AceShowbiz - DeVon Franklin is finally going public with his new girlfriend, more than two years following his split from Meagan Good. The producer/author has confirmed that he and Maria Castillo are dating.

The pair made their romance red carpet official at they attended The Merge Awards on Monday night, November 4. They looked in good spirits as they arrived together and walked hand-in-hand in color-coordinated outfits.

When asked by Baller Allert if Maria was his date that night, DeVon confirmed it, adding, "This is my girl." He went on explaining what it signified when he mentioned her not just as a "date," but as his "girl."

"Sometimes, you know, you say 'date,' and it's like, oh, yeah, cool. But that implies a moment. When I'm saying, 'Hey, this is my girl,' I'm saying that's a commitment," he emphasized. "So I think it's very important when we make a commitment to be okay with verbalizing that, vocalizing that."

Maria then chimed in, sharing what she loves about DeVon. "You know, he goes through life constantly thinking of others and he's also fine. So, but he's obviously, you know, a man of God, and that comes first, so that was that was my green flag," she gushed about her man.

The pair quickly received support from social media users. "She's definitely a cutie. They look good together! Happy for all parties!" someone commented on Baller Allert's Instagram post of the video. Another added, "I'm happy for her, and I'm happy for him. That is all."

A third weighed in, "I like this!! Something about a man claiming a woman publicly that seals it for me. I wish them all the best!!" Echoing the sentiment, a fourth wrote, "You know what.. I love it! I know his extra clarification made her feel amazing!"

DeVon and Maria, who is a celebrity trainer, first sparked dating rumors earlier this year. In early September, the preacher posted a video of himself ATVing and enjoying stunning views in Mexico.

Just days earlier, Maria shared clips of herself also ATVing and hiking at a location identical to where DeVon filmed. The fitness trainer captioned her post, "Meet me at the mountain top?" They were also revealed to have been following each other on Instagram at the time.

Prior to dating Maria, DeVon was married to Meagan. The former spouses tied the knot in 2012. In December 2021, it was announced that the motivational speaker had filed for divorce after nine years of marriage. Their divorce was finalized in June 2022. The actress has since moved on by dating actor Jonathan Majors.