Tyler Perry: ‘Family Is Just so Important to Everything That We Do’
By Movieguide® Contributor
Tyler Perry credits family as one of the most important themes in his movies.
“Family is just so important to everything that we do,” Perry told Movieguide®. “Those of us who have great families, that love big huge families or small families or love our families that don’t like our family so much, I think it’s just something that everybody can relate to.”
Inspiration from his family led to Perry’s most famous character, Madea. The filmmaker says he looked to his mother and aunts when creating the character.
“These women I grew up with…[were] so wonderful and so loving and so caring, but will knock you upside the head one second and pray for you the next and take you to the hospital,” he laughed. “You know, those women? This is an homage to them for sure.
“Growing up the way that I grew up, it was always the older people that you went to for the wisdom,” he continued. “It was my people coming to my mother, my grandmother, my aunts…these women carried so much wisdom because of the history and the lives that they had lived. I’m definitely channeling those women and thinking about all the things that I learned growing up with them.”
Perry’s mother also inspired his career in comedy and entertainment. After watching her “go through some really hard times,” the actor found the power in “making her laugh.”
“I knew the power in that very young and that was a masterclass for the rest of my life,” Perry explained. “So yes, I know the power of making people laugh and the power of making people feel good. And it really it not only does it do things for them, but it shows up in your own life when you’re doing good and that’s what I believe.”
In addition to the theme of family, Perry often puts his Christian faith front and center in his movies. Movieguide® previously reported:
Perry’s movies often have strong faith-based elements and Christian worldviews. His 2008 FAMILY THAT PREYS was one of Movieguide®’s Top 10 Movies for Mature Audiences.
“We’re Christians, and it’s great to say it,” THE FAMILY THAT PREYS co-producer Roger Bobb said at the 2009 Movieguide® Awards. “We believe in films that support spirituality and virtues of family and faith and forgiveness. That’s what film and family and everything is about at Talla Praise Studios. We strongly adhere to those tenets of family and faith and love and forgiveness. It’s an honor for us just to be here and to be with other filmmakers who have the same type of beliefs.
“Tyler Perry wanted to make a movie that spoke to the whole family theme, about families that came from different backgrounds and so we did, and of course he wanted to infuse the spirituality in it, and we were able to do that clearly successfully,” Bobb said. “He brought the script to me and I thought it was fantastic. I’m his producer, and we got a fantastic cast and that’s really what made this movie work.”
Watch Perry’s full interview below.
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Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.
What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.
You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.
Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.
