Celebrity Biographies
Tyler Perry Biography And Net Worth
Tyler Perry is an American actor, filmmaker, and playwright. He is the creator and performer of Mabel “Madea” Simmons, a tough elderly woman, and also portrays her brother Joe Simmons and her nephew Brian Simmons. Tyler Perry’s films vary in style from orthodox filmmaking techniques to filmed productions of live stage plays. Many of his stage-play films have been subsequently adapted as feature films.
Who is Tyler Perry?
Tyler Perry is an American actor, filmmaker, and playwright. He is the creator and performer of Mabel “Madea” Simmons, a tough elderly woman, he also portrays her brother Joe Simmons and her nephew Brian Simmons. Tyler Perry’s films vary in style from orthodox filmmaking techniques to filmed productions of live stage plays. Many of his stage-play films have been subsequently adapted as feature films.
Bio Data
| Name | Tyler Emmitt Perry Jr. |
| Date of birth | September 13, 1969 |
| Place of birth | New Orleans, Lousiana |
| Nationality | American |
| Gender | Male |
| Height | 6 ft 5 (1. 96m) |
| Profession | Actor, Producer, Playwright, Director, Screenwriter, Author, entrepreneur |
| Net Worth | $1 Billion |
| Relationship | Gelila Bekele (2009-2020) |
| Instagram handle | @tylerperry |
Biography
Tyler Perry was born Emmitt Perry Jr. on September 13, 1969, in New Orleans, Louisiana, to Willie Maxine Perry (née Campbell) and Emmitt Perry Sr. He has three siblings. Perry’s childhood was described in retrospect as a “living hell”. In contrast to his father, his mother took him to church each week, where he sensed a certain refuge and contentment. At age 16, he had his first name legally changed from Emmitt to Tyler in an effort to distance himself from his father.
Many years later, after seeing the film Precious, Perry was moved to reveal for the first time that he had been molested by a friend’s mother at age 10; he was also molested by three men prior to this and later learned his own father had molested his friend. A DNA test taken by Perry indicated that Emmitt Sr. was not Perry’s biological father.
While Perry did not complete high school, he earned a General Educational Development (GED). In his early 20s, watching an episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show, he heard someone describe the sometimes therapeutic effect the act of writing can have, enabling the author to work out his or her own problems. This comment inspired him to apply himself to a career in writing. He soon started writing a series of letters to himself, which became the basis for the musical I Know I’ve Been Changed.
Career
Stage and Film
Perry wrote and produced many stage plays during the 1990s and early 2000s. He also developed several television series, most notably Tyler Perry’s House of Payne, which ran for eight seasons on TBS from 2006 to 2012. In 2011, Forbes listed him as the highest-paid man in entertainment, earning US$130 million between May 2010 and May 2011. In 2012, Perry struck an exclusive multi-year partnership with Oprah Winfrey and her Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN). The deal featured scripted projects such as The Haves and the Have Nots. Recent shows include BET’s The Oval.
Around 1990, Tyler Perry moved to Atlanta, where two years later I Know I’ve Been Changed was first performed at a community theatre, financed by the 22-year-old Perry’s life savings of US$12,000 (equivalent to $26,879 in 2022). The play included Christian themes of forgiveness, dignity, and self-worth while addressing issues such as child abuse and dysfunctional families.
Perry raised a US$5.5 million budget in part from the ticket sales of his stage productions to fund his first movie, Diary of a Mad Black Woman, which went on to gross US$50.6 million domestically, while scoring a 16% approval rating at the film review web site Rotten tomatoes. Perry made his directorial debut in his next film, an adaptation of Madea’s Family Reunion, and has directed all of his subsequent Madea films.
Perry has also acted in films not directed, written or produced by himself, including films such as Star Trek (2009), Alex Cross (2012), Gone Girl (2014), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows (2016), Vice (2018), Those Who Wish Me Dead (2021), and Don’t Look Up (2021). Perry has also done voice acting for animated films such as The Star (2017) and PAW Patrol: The Movie (2021).
Books
Perry’s first book, Don’t Make a Black Woman Take Off Her Earrings: Madea’s Uninhibited Commentaries on Love and Life, appeared on April 11, 2006. The book sold 30,000 copies. The hardcover reached number one on the New York Times Best Seller list and remained on the list for 12 weeks. It was voted Book of the Year, and Best Humor Book at the 2006 Quill Awards.
His second book, Higher Is Waiting, was published on November 14, 2017. It debuted at number 5 on the New York Times Best Seller list.
Criticism
Over his career, Perry has received criticism from scholars and critics who believe his films traffic in negative and offensive portrayals of African Americans. Author Donald Bogle stated in an interview with Entertainment Weekly, “Madea does have connections to the old mammy type. She’s mammy-like. If a white director put out this product, the black audience would be appalled.
Net Worth
Tyler Perry’s films have grossed more than $660 million and together with his film and television projects, Perry is worth $1 billion. Perry was included in Time‘s list of the 100 most influential people of 2020. He received the Emmy Award’s Governor’s Award in 2020, the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award in 2021 and was inducted into the Black Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame in 2022.
Personal Life
Perry is a Christian. Many of the themes in his work reflect theology and social behaviour indicative of the predominantly black church culture, such as the many scenes in both his stage and screen work that feature church settings and worship styles commonly found in predominantly African-American churches, including showcases of gospel music and artists.
On November 30, 2014, Perry’s partner Gelila Bekele gave birth to their son. In December 2020, Perry announced that they were separated and he is now a single bachelor. Perry owns vacation properties in both Wyoming and the Bahamas.
Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex publicly revealed in a television interview Oprah with Meghan and Harry that Perry provided initial security and housing for three months that allowed the couple to safely relocate from Canada to California in March 2020, following the withdrawal of their British royal protection. Perry is also godfather to their daughter, Princess Lilibet of Sussex.
To overcome his fear of flying, Tyler Perry took flight training lessons and obtained a private pilot certificate. He flies a Cirrus SR22T aircraft.
FAQs
What is the meaning of Madea?
Madea is a cross between two words, Mother and Dearest. It is particularly a Southern term for grandmother.
What is Tyler Perry’s famous quote?
“My biggest success is getting over the things that have tried to destroy and take me out of life”
Is Madea a man or a woman?
Mabel “Madea” Simmons is a tough elderly woman. A character played by Tyler Perry
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