In January 2020, Tyler Perry told his Twitter followers that he’s the only writer and director of his many TV shows and movies.
The founder and CEO of the Tyler Perry Studios, a 330-acre lot located in the heart of Atlanta, has changed his previous stance of having “no writer’s room.” According to Variety, Perry, 50, now wants to infuse his empire with the new and fresh ideas of young creatives.
This move could be a brand new idea, but some speculate that it was Perry’s vision all along to establish his studio before doling out creative authority to others.
Read More: Hollywood still struggling to diversify in writers’ rooms
Perry explained to Variety that he is looking forward to bringing in “fresh, exciting talent.”
Michelle Sneed, president of production and development for Tyler Perry Studios told Variety of Perry’s plans to bring dynamic filmmakers and writers on board.
“We’re super excited about the young, up-and-coming filmmakers and new writers that we’re working with,” Sneed said. “Tyler has solidified his place in the industry, his brand is amazing, and we’ll continue to grow that. Then on the other side, we’re working on promoting, providing a platform and advocating for this new talent, both in front of and behind the camera.”
This new willingness to share the creative responsibilities is a complete about-face from the video he posted in January 2020 that revealed a table stacked with eight scripts he worked on in 2019 — without any help. At the end of the video, Perry proudly shouts, “Work Ethic!”
Most likely, Perry expected praise for his “work ethic,” but that wasn’t the case. He was confronted with an onslaught of harsh criticism for seemingly preferring quantity over quality.
Read More: Tyler Perry reveals his work ethic secret: ’I have no writers room. I write it all.’
His admission to being the sole writer of his shows also provided the answer to critics questions about why so many of his films seemed similar.
Perry’s decision to install a writer’s room at his studio may very well result in an exciting experience for his legions of fans.
Have you subscribed to theGrio’s podcast “Dear Culture”? Download our newest episodes now!
TheGrio is now on Apple TV, Amazon Fire, and Roku. Download theGrio today!