Tyler Perry opens up about how Hollywood “ignored” him

Oct 8, 2019

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After getting shut out by Hollywood during the beginning of his career, Tyler Perry went on to prepare his own table and open an expansive world-class movie studio in Atlanta.

—Oprah, Beyoncé, more attend Tyler Perry star-studded gala for studio opening—

In doing so, the director, actor, and producer carved out his own lane and now stands as the only African American to own a major movie studio.

Perry, 50 sat down with Gayle King on CBS This Morning and opened up about making his own way because Hollywood largely “ignored” him.

“I clearly believe that I’m ignored in Hollywood, for sure. And that’s fine. I get it,” said Perry.

“My audience and the stories that I tell are African-American stories specific to a certain audience, specific to a certain group of people that I know, that I grew up, and we speak a language. Hollywood doesn’t necessarily speak the language. A lot of critics don’t speak that language. So, to them, it’s like, ‘What is this?’ “

He continued, “But I know what I do is important. I know what I do touches millions of people around the world. I know how important every word, every joke, every laugh [is]. I know what that does for the people where I come from and the people that I’m writing for. So, yeah, I get that.”

It was a rough road to the top and Perry got tired of asking for a seat at the table and seeking Hollywood’s support.

Over the weekend, he posted a Facebook message, welcoming fans to “his table” after he invited his rich and famous friends to an affair celebrating the new, state-of-the-art Tyler Perry Studios located on the former confederate army base at Fort Mcpherson.

The star-studded celebration was hosted on 330 acres with high-profile attendees like Oprah Winfrey, Whoopi Goldberg and Halle Berry three of the 12 celebrities he named his movie studio buildings after. Other attendees included Ava DuVernay, Beyonce, Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton, Will and Jada Smith, and Spike Lee.

— Tyler Perry officially unveils the first Black-owned studio —

Perry is producing two new shows for the BET network, including the White House drama The Oval, and Sistas, about a group of single black women.