Tyler Perry
A multimedia mogul who built an empire by giving voice to a Black audience Hollywood long ignored, creating the indelible matriarch Madea.
Born 1969 (age 57)·American actor and filmmaker·Birthday: September 13·Generation X
Biography
Tyler Perry's story is one of radical self-invention. Raised in New Orleans amidst poverty and abuse, he found catharsis in writing, penning a series of heartfelt letters to himself that became his first stage play. After a disastrous initial run, he stubbornly reworked the material, hitting the road to sell tickets directly from his car. His perseverance paid off with 'I Can Do Bad All By Myself,' which introduced the world to Mabel 'Madea' Simmons, the gun-toting, truth-telling grandmother he portrayed in drag. Madea became a cultural phenomenon, connecting with Black audiences through a blend of broad comedy, moral lessons, and spiritual hope. Perry bypassed traditional Hollywood gates, building a 330-acre studio complex in Atlanta—the first major film studio owned by an African American—and producing a staggering output of plays, films, and television series. His work, often criticized by elites but adored by his fans, created a parallel entertainment universe where he controls every frame, employing hundreds and telling stories on his own terms.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Tyler was born in 1969, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Tyler Was Born
The biggest hits of 1969
#1 Movie
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
Best Picture
Midnight Cowboy
#1 TV Show
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
Tyler's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1969Born
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1974Started school
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1982Became a teenager
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1985Could drive
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1987Could vote
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1990Turned 21
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
1999Turned 30
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2009Turned 40
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2019Turned 50
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 57 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Built Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta, one of the largest film production facilities in the United States.
- Created and portrayed the character Madea, headlining over a dozen feature films and numerous stage plays.
- Founded a successful production empire that includes hit TV series like 'The Haves and the Have Nots' and 'Sistas.'
- Was the first African American to own a major film studio outright.
Did You Know?
He legally changed his name from Emmitt Perry Jr. to distance himself from his father.
His first stage play, 'I Know I've Been Changed,' initially failed, drawing only 30 people; he reworked it and it later became a hit.
He owns two private jets, nicknamed 'Madea' and 'Uncle Joe.'
He is a licensed airplane pilot.
“It’s very important that you understand your value, your worth. Don’t let anybody tell you what that is.”
