Who is billionaire Tyler Perry? The Oscar-winning Madea star took business advice from Oprah, put a roof over Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s heads, and owns a US$280 million movie studio
- Growing up in an abusive family, Perry found comfort in the church, applied Winfrey’s advice to own his work, and set about building a multimillion-dollar empire
- Keen to help others, Perry lent Harry and Meghan his US$18 million home after they left the UK, and received an award at the Oscars for offering aid during the pandemic
Black Panther was filmed at his Atlanta studio, and Viacom and Oprah Winfrey both signed him for deals on their networks, but who is producer, director and actor Tyler Perry? And how did he become a billionaire?
Tyler Perry’s US$1 billion net worth
In September 2020, Perry was officially recognised as a billionaire. The media mogul’s wealth puts him in the same ranks as Winfrey, George Lucas and Steven Spielberg.
His 133.5 (330 acre) Atlanta film studio, Madea franchise and his stake in the BET+ streaming service are said to make up the bulk of his earnings, according to Forbes. The deal with BET’s parent company Viacom didn’t begin until 2019 when an existing deal with the Oprah Winfrey network ended, but Perry wasn’t always rich …
His films are inspired by family
Perry was born in New Orleans in 1969. He spoke with People magazine in 2019 about his troubled childhood, describing how his father was abusive and battled with alcoholism.
His aunt Jerry told Winfrey that she once pointed a gun at Perry’s father when she learned of his abuse. He is currently estranged from his father, and his mother Maxine died in 2009. He credits his faith for getting him through the tough times, saying, “I don’t know where I’d be” without the guidance of the church.
His gun-toting comedy grandma character Madea “is a cross between my mother and my aunt”, he told USA Today in 2019. Perry is a father himself – he has a son with his ex Gelila Bekele.