Tyler Perry American actor, director, screenwriter, playwright, novelist, producer and songwriter Date of Birth: 13.09.1969 Country: USA

Biography of Tyler Perry

Tyler Perry is an American actor, director, screenwriter, playwright, writer, producer, and songwriter. He was born Emmitt Perry, Jr. on September 13, 1969, in New Orleans, Louisiana. Perry grew up in a troubled family, with an abusive father who constantly beat his wife and children. Seeking refuge from the abuse, Tyler attempted to commit suicide. His mother, however, provided some solace by taking him to church every week, where he found a sense of protection and care.

At the age of 16, Perry legally changed his name to Tyler to distance himself from his father. Much later, he discovered through the movie "Precious" that he had been sexually abused by his mother's friend and several other men. Additionally, he learned that his own father had made advances towards his friend. Despite not finishing high school, Perry obtained a GED.

In his early twenties, Perry watched an episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show, where he learned that writing down his thoughts, feelings, and problems could have a therapeutic effect. Inspired by this, he wrote a series of letters to himself, which later became the basis for his musical "I Know I've Been Changed." Around 1990, Perry moved to Atlanta, where two years later, he self-funded the production of "I Know I've Been Changed" with all his savings of $12,000.

The musical initially faced financial failure, but Perry continued rewriting it, and eventually, in 1998, "I Know I've Been Changed" achieved great success. Perry continued working on new productions and gained a devoted following among African American audiences. By 2005, Forbes reported that Perry had sold over $100 million in tickets and staged about 300 shows per year, with a weekly attendance of 35,000 people.

Perry received a budget of $5.5 million for his first film, "Diary of a Mad Black Woman," which grossed $50.6 million domestically and $65 million worldwide. He and his colleagues promoted the film on The Oprah Winfrey Show. His subsequent projects included the romantic drama "Daddy's Little Girls" and the film adaptation of his own play "Why Did I Get Married?" Perry also opened his own studio in Atlanta.

To date, Tyler Perry has directed 24 projects, including television series such as "Meet the Browns" and "House of Payne." In 2012, he released two films, the romantic comedy "Good Deeds" and the adaptation of the memoir "Captain of My Soul." Perry also played the lead role in the film "I, Alex Cross." Among his close friends are Oprah Winfrey, Will Smith, and Janet Jackson.

Perry considers himself a religious person, and his films and plays often touch on themes of African American Christian church culture. In December 2009, he tragically lost his mother to illness at the age of 64. Tyler Perry remains a successful bachelor, living and working in southwest Atlanta, where his studio is located, and dedicates much of his energy to philanthropy.