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Tyler Perry is a one-man band. He is the mastermind behind his projects and is known for not having a writer’s room when it comes to his sitcoms and movies. After being the sole creative behind the scenes for years, Perry is ready to give some other creators a seat at his table.
Perry told The Hollywood Reporter that he has “three or four more years” until he lets go of the reins.
“My plan is to relinquish to a lot more directors and writers to take over a lot of these shows that I’ve started,” the Atlanta native said.
The Madea franchise creator said he realized that not having a team doesn’t allow him to explore other ventures and now he is ready to let others help him bring his visions to life.
“It’s going to be more of me overseeing, rather than doing the hands-on work,” he added. “For the past six weeks, I was in the mountains. I wrote 72 episodes of television — just me in a room by myself, sitting out there, looking at the moose and the mountains. I treat it like a job. Every morning, after I work out, I start writing at 7 and don’t finish until 7 in the evening. I do that every day until it’s done. I love it. And I love directing for 12- or 15-hour days. But I realize there’s so much more that I could be doing if I were to hand some of the other stuff off — rather than doing it all myself.”
Perry being ready to incorporate a writer’s room is music to some folk’s ears. When he revealed he didn’t have one back in 2019, Black Twitter gave him an earful, saying that not having one led to him telling flawed narratives and perpetuating problematic stereotypes.
Besides working on his BET+ shows like Sistas and The Oval, Perry is also onboard as a producer for the highly anticipated Sister Act 3, which is in the works.
“The script is being written, and I am the producer on it — not directing. We brought on an incredible director [Tim Federle] and Whoopi’s really excited,” he said. “I think that this is just what the country needs. We need that feel-good moment in the movies where you go, ‘Oh my God, I left there singing’. That’s my hope.”
