Tyler Perry

Tyler Perry is the breakout star of 'Diary of a Mad Black Woman,' playing Madea, and also the producer, writer, director, and star of most of his movies. Today, one of the most successful men in Hollywood, Tyler Perry's story growing up was not so optimistic. Tyler Perry is also writer, producer, and director of the sitcom 'Meet the Browns' and 'Tyler Perry's House of Payne.'

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About Tyler Perry

Known for: Producing, directing, and writing numerous movies and television shows bearing his name.

Tyler Perry is a movie, television, and theater producer, writer, director, actor, and also an author. In 2009, 'Forbes' magazine named Tyler Perry the sixth highest paid person in all of Hollywood.

Tyler Perry's childhood was turbulent and dangerous. Born Emmitt Perry, Jr., he was beaten regularly and brutally by his father. At one point the beatings affected him so much that he contemplated and even attempted suicide just to escape them. To distance himself from his father, Emmitt Perry, Sr., he legally changed his name to Tyler Perry. According to Tyler, his relationship with his mother was exactly the opposite of that with his father, emphasizing that she took him church and raised him to be a decent person.

In his 20s, Tyler Perry watched an episode of 'The Oprah Winfrey Show' in which creative and artistic writing was depicted as a therapeutic way to overcome past issues. As a result of this, Tyler wrote himself letters which eventually became the musical production 'I Know I've Been Changed.' Financed himself, Tyler at 22 years old spent his life savings of $12,000 to produce the play with Christian messages such as forgiveness, human dignity, self-worth, while dealing with the dark issues of child abuse and dysfunction in the household. At first a critical and financial failure, Perry continually revamped and reproduced the show until in 1998, now 28 years old, it became a huge success in Atlanta, Georgia. In 2005, 'Forbes' reported that Perry's shows are seen on stage by an estimated 35,000 people per week, and have generated over $100 million in ticket sales, not including $30 million from video and $20 million from merchandise sales.

Tyler Perry has since become an even bigger name in movies. Based on many of his stage plays and musicals, Tyler Perry's movies include 'Diary of a Mad Black Woman' (2005), 'Madea's Family Reunion' (2006), 'daddy's Little Girls' (2007), 'Why Did I Get Married? (2007), 'Meet the Browns' (2008), 'The Family That Preys' (2008), 'Madea Goes to Jail' (2009), 'I Can Do Bad All by Myself' (2009), 'Why Did I Get Married Too?' (2010), and 'For Colored Girls' (2010).

In all but three movies, Tyler Perry has been the director, writer, producer, and an actor. His most famous role? Playing the mad black woman, Madea. He is also responsible for the sitcoms 'Tyler Perry's House of Payne' and 'Meet the Browns.'

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