Meet the Real-Life Loves of “The Gospel of Christmas” Cast
Meet the Real-Life Loves of “The Gospel of Christmas” Cast
Alyssa ModosWed, November 11, 2026 at 2:00 PM UTC
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Durrell “Tank” Babbs and Zena Foster on November 9, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia; Kendall Taylor and Fantasia Barrino on November 09, 2026 in Atlanta, GeorgiaCredit: Carson Ming/Getty (2)
The Gospel of Christmas stars aren’t just devoted to music, they’re also dedicated to their real-life relationships.
The holiday film, which premiered Nov. 11 on Netflix, follows a struggling pastor, Isaac (Durrell “Tank” Babbs), who inherits his family’s church in a troubled New York neighborhood and must rediscover his faith to save his sanctuary, family and community.
But while faith and family drive the on-screen drama, real-life love is what keeps the star-studded cast grounded when the cameras stop rolling.
Here’s everything to know about the real-life loves of The Gospel of Christmas cast.
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Durrell “Tank” Babbs and Zena Foster
Durrell “Tank” Babbs and Zena Foster on June 9, 2025 in Los Angeles, CaliforniaCredit: Prince Williams/Getty
Durrell “Tank” Babbs portrays a married pastor named Isaac in The Gospel of Christmas, but “husband” isn’t just a role he plays — the actor is married to Zena Foster, model and founder of Zena Foster Beauty.
The pair met 18 years before getting married, had a child together and eventually broke up. But years later, they rekindled their romance and married in July 2018.
“This day represents the beginning of forever,” Tank told PEOPLE ahead of their wedding day. “To find the person you lost once before and having the opportunity to make sure that doesn’t happen again is everything.”
Tank and Foster share a daughter, Zoey, and a son, Zion, the latter of whom they welcomed three years before marrying. Both children had roles in the wedding as junior bridesmaid and ring bearer, respectively.
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Fantasia Barrino and Kendall Taylor
Kendall Taylor and Fantasia Barrino on January 7, 2024 in Beverly Hills, CaliforniaCredit: Gregg DeGuire/Golden Globes 2024/Golden Globes 2024 via Getty
Fantasia Barrino plays Babbs’ on-screen wife, Rebecca, in the holiday movie, but in real life, she’s married to entrepreneur Kendall Taylor.
The couple met in 2015, and after dating for only three weeks, they exchanged vows at a courthouse in their shared home state of North Carolina. Though they married quickly, their union has stood the test of time.
Barrino and Taylor celebrated 11 years together in February 2026, and to mark the anniversary, Taylor re-proposed to the American Idol winner with an 11-carat engagement ring during one of her concerts.
“For 11 years, you woke up every morning, and you chose me. For 11 years, you’ve been an incredible mother to our children. For 11 years, we fasted, we prayed. So I’m a give you a karat for every year you stood by my side,” Taylor said to his wife on stage.
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Barrino and Taylor share a daughter, Keziah, whom they welcomed in May 2021. The singer is also a mom to daughter Zion and son Dallas from previous relationships, while Taylor has a son named Treyshaun.
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Shirley Caesar and Harold Ivory Williams, Sr.
Shirley Caesar and Harold Ivory Williams, Sr. on September 17, 2003 in Hollywood, CaliforniaCredit: Paul Mounce/Corbis via Getty
Gospel legend Shirley Caesar plays a choir member named May in the Tyler Perry movie — a role she’s familiar with in real life as co-pastor of Raleigh’s Mount Calvary Word of Faith with her late husband, Harold Ivory Williams, Sr.
Williams died at 93 on July 4, 2014. The pair were married for 31 years, per The Washington Post.
In June 2016, the Grammy award-winning singer reflected on her life since Williams’ death.
“I enjoy going out to eat ... I’m doing some remodeling and painting,” Caesar told the Journal of Gospel Music. “I’m doing some remodeling and painting. Other than that, my life is filled with church work, and I try to be a humanitarian.”
She added, “When I was a wife, I did my best to be a good wife.”
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Ann Nesby and Timothy Lee
Ann Nesby and Timothy Lee on November 9, 2026 in Atlanta, GeorgiaCredit: Derek White/Getty
In addition to her gospel singing and acting career — she plays Sarah in The Gospel of Christmas — Ann Nesby is a wife and mother.
She and husband Timothy Lee married on Aug. 6, 1994 and share 10 children in their blended family.
Speaking to Moms ‘N Charge in December 2014, the couple revealed insight into the success of their marriage.
“First and foremost is our faith in God; trusting and acknowledging Him every day,” Nesby said.
She continued, “You have to be able to respect each others’ expertise and trust what they do and what they bring to the table. You have to learn not to overstep your boundaries for what they do.”
on People
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
