Last Updated on September 13, 2024
Who Is Tyler Perry?
Tyler Perry, born Emmitt Perry Jr., is an American actor, comedian, film producer and director, television producer and director, songwriter, and author who is famous for playing the Madea character.
Madea is a tough, elderly, African-American woman who has inspired more than 5 of Tyler Perry’s films, all of which have been a critical and commercial success.
Quick Facts
Full Name: | Tyler Perry (born Emmitt Perry Jr.) |
Popular Name: | Tyler Perry |
Gender: | Male |
Birth Date: | September 13, 1969 |
Age: | 54 years |
Parents: | Emmitt Perry Sr. and Willie Maxine Perry |
Siblings: | Emmbre Perry, Melva Porter, and Yulanda Wilkins |
Birth Place: | New Orleans, Louisiana |
Nationality: | American |
Ethnicity: | African-American |
Education: | The Juilliard School |
Marital Status: | Married |
Sexual Orientation: | Straight |
Wife/Spouse: | Gelila Bekele |
Children: | Aman Tyler Perry |
Dating: | N/A |
Net Worth: | USD 600 million |
Source of Wealth: | Acting and Comedy, Film production and directing, Television production and directing, Screenwriting, Songwriting, and Other Personal Ventures |
Height: | 6′ 5″ (1.96 m) |
Weight: | 113 kg; In pounds: 250 lbs. |
Early Life and Career Information
Tyler Perry was born Emmitt Perry Jr. on September 13, 1969, in New Orleans, Louisiana, to Emmitt Perry Sr. and Willie Maxine Perry. As a young kid, Perry was physically abused by his dad and at some point, he even contemplated committing suicide. However, his caring and religious mother always gave him a reason to live a day longer.
Growing up, Tyler Perry was a fan of The Oprah Winfrey Show. At one point, he listened as someone explained on the show how therapeutic the art of letter writing is. He took up the challenge and started writing letters to himself.
Tyler Perry’s letters became the foundation of his own musical titled I Know I’ve Been Changed. He built upon the eventual success of the musical to produce his first movie, Diary of a Mad Black Woman. To date, Tyler Perry has acted and produced scores of films, including the Madea franchise that has been particularly critical to his success.
Tyler Perry’s Net Worth
As of 2023, Tyler Perry had a net worth of $600 million. Tyler Perry has earned his wealth from his long and illustrious career in acting and comedy. He is also a film director and producer, television director and producer, screenwriter, songwriter, theater director, and author. As a film director and producer, Tyler Perry has directed and produced more than 30 commercially successful movies throughout his career.
In 2011, Perry made Forbes’ list of the highest-paid man in the entertainment industry, having earned $130 million from May 2010 to May 2011. Perry’s annual salary from his various endeavors in the entertainment industry is an estimated $80 million.
But Tyler Perry was not born with a silver spoon in his mouth. In fact, Perry is one of the many celebrities who built his empire from the ground up. He claims that he was inspired by The Oprah Winfrey Show.
While watching the show at some point in his early 20s, Tyler Perry discovered the therapeutic effects of letters. He began to write letters to himself and his efforts culminated in the production of a musical known as I Know I’ve Been Changed.
Unfortunately, I Know I’ve Been Changed was not well received at first. But considering that Tyler Perry had used his entire life savings of $12,000 to produce the musical, he was not about to let his investment go up in smoke.
He refined the musical until it eventually became a success and then used the platform to sell over $100 million in tickets for more productions. Tyler Perry invested most of the proceeds from the musical to fund the production of his debut film, Diary of a Mad Black Woman. Though the movie was not critically acclaimed, it was a commercial success, grossing $50.7 million in the United States from a $5.5 million budget.
After the success of his first movie, Tyler Perry has gone on to produce other commercially successful films, including:
• Madea Goes to Jail (2009) – Grossed over $90 million domestically
• Boo! A Madea Halloween (2016) – Grossed over $73 million domestically
• Madea’s Witness Protection (2012) – Grossed over $65 million domestically
• Madea’s Family Reunion (2006) – Grossed over $63 million domestically
• Why Did I Get Married Too? (2010) – Grossed over $60 million domestically
• Why Did I Get Married? (2007) – Grossed over $55 million domestically
• Madea’s Big Happy Family (2011) – Grossed over $53 million domestically
• A Madea Christmas (2013) – Grossed over $52 million domestically
• I Can Do Bad All by Myself (2009) – Grossed over $51 million domestically
• Temptation: Confessions of a Married Counsellor (2013) – Grossed over $51 million domestically
• Meet the Brows (2008) – Grossed over $41 million domestically
• For Colored Girls (2010) – Grossed over $37 million domestically
• The Family That Preys (2008) – Grossed over $37 million domestically
• Good Deeds (2012) – Grossed over $35 million domestically
• Daddy’s Little Girls (2007) – Grossed over $31 million domestically
a) Tyler Perry’s Real Estate Portfolio
Tyler Perry owns the Tyler Perry Studios headquarters in Atlanta. He has recently been developing a sprawling new property around the same place.
The following are other real estate properties that Tyler Perry has acquired (and sold) over time:
• He acquired a 14,000-square-foot residence located on White Bay Cay Island in the Bahamas in 2009 for $6.4 million.
• He sold a 10-bedroom home in Mulholland Estates, Los Angeles in 2018 for $15.6 million. He had purchased the property just eight months earlier for $14.5 million.
• He owns a 25,000-square-foot mansion in Beverly Ridge Estates, Los Angeles, that’s valued upwards of $20 million. In 2020, it was announced that Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle, were renting the mansion.
b) Tyler Perry’s Other Assets
Tyler Perry’s asset base also includes luxury cars and a Gulfstream private jet that he reportedly acquired and customized for $125 million.
After purchasing the jet, Perry spent a whopping $50 million to customize and furnish the jet. It includes a screening room complete with a 42-inch LCD flat-screen television as well as a satellite hookup, a formal living room, a VIP bedroom, kitchen, among other facilities.
Life Lessons from Tyler Perry
1. Never give up
Tyler Perry bore the brunt of his dad’s physical abuse, even contemplating suicide at some point. But he lived through the ordeals to become one of the world’s best entertainers.
2. Do not bear resentment towards others
Despite being physically abused by his dad, Tyler Perry has never spoken ill of him. It only goes to show how free we can set ourselves if we only forgive others, particularly those that don’t deserve our forgiveness.
3. Learn from your mistakes
After his musical failed on the first attempt, Tyler Perry refined it until it was eventually acceptable.
Quotes by Tyler Perry
“Everyone can relate to love, hurt, pain, learning how to forgive, needing to get over, needing the power of God in their life.”
“If you don’t want my God here, you don’t want me here either. God has been too good to me to go and try to sell out to get some money.”
“It doesn’t matter if a million people tell you what you can’t do, or if ten million tell you no. You can get a thousand no’s from people, and only one “yes” from God.”
“It’s not an easy journey, to get to a place where you forgive people. But it is such a powerful place, because it frees you.”
“What I’ve learned is you treat women right.”
Conclusion
Tyler Perry has seen it all. To emerge from a deprived childhood to become the big brand that he is today, it only goes to show that goals can be reached.