It’s about time Tyler Perry received his flowers from Hollywood as a prolific writer, director, producer, actor, philanthropist, disruptor who refused to play Hollywood’s archaic rules, and entrepreneur, as the owner of his 330-acre Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta. And according to Oprah Winfrey, he’s a diligent friend, confidant, and supporter. “He is the quiet and good samaritan, the fixer, and the healer. Tyler says, ‘What can I do to make a change?’” she says.
Coming off the heels of a successful press tour for his new movie, The Six Triple Eight, starring Kerry Washington, and the popular Netflix television drama series Beauty In Black, Perry has much to celebrate. However, you’ll find he’s the most humble and quiet person in the room.
On December 4th, The Paley Center for Media held its annual fall gala in the ballroom of the Wilshire Hotel to honor the compassionate billionaire’s invaluable contributions to film and television and the broader Hollywood zeitgeist amongst titian industry peers, like presenters Oprah Winfrey and Kerry Washington, along with fellow director Debbie Allen, Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, the Honorable Nicole Avant and Ted Sarandos, Debra L. Lee, LaTanya Richardson Jackson, Cookie Johnson, Tina Knowles, Tika Sumpter, Yvette Nicole Brown and more. All were there to celebrate and uplift Perry as he received the prestigious Paley Honors Award.
The Paley Center for Media is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that has proudly resided in NYC for almost 50 years and operates the iconic Paley Museum. Through its respected programming, the Paley Center leads the discussion about media’s cultural, creative, and social significance, drawing upon its curatorial expertise, international collection, and close relationships with the media community.
Winfrey opened up the evening with a moving speech about her friend. “He is a giant among men. He has a ginormous spirit that is guided by a divine hand. Let me tell you the secret to Tyler Perry is that Tyler Perry loves God, and though a team of esteemed advisors surrounds him, he makes no move ever without consulting with God first.”
She continued, “So when you look at his life and its trajectory from a little boy, a little boy who was constantly, consistently every day of his life, demeaned, rejected, beaten and emotionally abused by his father so severely that at times he disassociated or blacked out. Tyler Perry suffered the kind of childhood that caused many children’s brains to create multiple personality disorders, but Tyler was spared disorder. It’s a God thing. He transformed his pain and trauma into art, humor, drama, and hope. He made it a way to be seen and for people to be able to see themselves.”
What is the secret to his success, according to Winfrey? God. “Tyler loves God, and God sho’ loves Tyler,” she joked.
That godly spirit is what guides him to help thousands of disenfranchised people, quietly and swiftly, like the Turpin children, a California family who suffered from abuse, or Megan Markle, who needed refuge and coverage after fleeing the United Kingdom with her husband, Prince Harry.
Next to honor Perry was a close friend and star of his upcoming film, The Six Triple Eight. In her speech, Washington focused on Perry’s unyielding belief in her abilities as an actress when she had doubts about her career trajectory. She knew how vital it was for him to present at her recent Hollywood Walk Of Fame ceremony. “I had been struggling a little bit in my film career, and growing up in New York City, my real dream was to be on Broadway. And I got my Broadway debut. I was originating a role in a new play, and after that, I thought I was done because I didn’t see a space for me in this business. And around that time, I got a call from Tyler Perry. He was creating a film based on one of my favorite Broadway plays For Colored Girls, and he asked me to be part of an ensemble with my heroes. I was terrified. Tyler encouraged me to dream a bigger dream for myself, to reach further, to dream that there was something out there for me that was beyond what I had imagined.”
She continued, “If we’re going to talk about stars, Tyler is my North Star.”
Sarandos and Avant were the final presenters of the evening. They spoke about their collaborations with producing his latest wartime drama and reflected on their beautiful friendship with the media mogul, “Tyler is a friend who always shows up,” Avant said. “He shows up for his friends. He shows up in his life, and he shows up in his work. Throughout this incredible career, Tyler has not only shown up, but he has also created his own lane and his own seat at the table. And from that seat, he has changed our culture.”
When it was time for Perry to take the stage, he was visibly emotional and overwhelmed with gratitude. He shared with the audience that Dec. 8 marked the 15th anniversary of his beloved mother, Maxine Perry’s death. He began to address the audience, holding back tears. “This time of year is really, really difficult. What I usually do is I don’t book anything — I hide out, pray, I talk to God, and I just be alone so that I can grieve because I don’t know how grief is going to show up.”
He also touched on the power of therapy and how it’s helped him uncover traumatic memories, heal, and be open to receiving genuine love and appreciation, making him more present than ever before. He concluded his speech, “Part of that was understanding, ‘How do I allow myself to be celebrated?’”
