Tyler Perry, the billionaire filmmaker, has added another feather to his cap with his latest Netflix drama, The Six Triple Eight.
The film features a star-studded cast including Kerry Washington and Oprah Winfrey and tells the lesser-known story of the USA’s first and only Women’s Army Corps unit of colour that served overseas during World War Two.
The 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, staffed by an all-Black team of 855 women, sorted through a backlog of 17 million letters addressed to American soldiers stationed across Europe. They completed their mission in just 90 days, despite being given six months to do so.
Like Perry’s other works, this historical drama highlights untold Black American stories.
For those unfamiliar with the Emmy-winning filmmaker, we delve into his intriguing life beyond the camera, reports the Mirror.
Career
Perry, a multi-talented creative, started his career as a playwright. He wrote his first play, I Know I’ve Been Changed, in his twenties and financed its debut in 1992. Despite initial lack of interest in the stage play, in which he also starred, the now 55 year old restaged it to much acclaim in 1998.
Tyler Perry burst onto the film scene with his 2005 comedy Diary of a Mad Black Woman, which raked in $21.9 million on its opening weekend. He has since amassed 66 IMDB credits for writing, acting, and producing.
Many of his films feature the feisty character Madea, often played by Perry himself. His recent projects include Mea Culpa, Tyler Perry’s Divorce in the Black, and the TV series Sistas.
Perry’s estimated net worth stands at $1.4 billion.
Royal connection
Perry is close friends with Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, and he’s also the godfather of their daughter Lilibet. In the Netflix documentary Harry and Meghan, Perry recalled the Royal couple’s request.
He said: “They were pretty serious on the phone. I go, ‘OK, what’s going on? ‘ They said, ‘Well, we’d like for you to be Lili’s godfather.’ I go, ‘Whoa.’ I take a minute to take that in. And I thought, ‘I’d be honoured. I’d be absolutely honoured.'”
The couple met Perry in 2020 when they asked to temporarily stay in one of his homes after moving to California. Since then, Markle and Perry have publicly supported each other.
The Duchess recently attended the Paley Honors Fall Gala, where Perry received an award.
Surprising Habit
Rising to fame in the early 2000s, Tyler Perry has admitted to avoiding reviews of his work for nearly two decades. According to The Times, Perry has not paid attention to criticisms since his mid-30s.
The filmmaker explains his disregard for outside opinions: “I’m very clear and intentional on the stories that I’m telling. I’m not spending the money for you to tear it apart. You don’t get it. It’s not written for you. The audience gets it. So let’s look at what they say.”
Tyler Perry’s films often divide critics and viewers. His recent film, Divorce in the Black, has a 73% viewer rating on Rotten Tomatoes, while critics gave it a 0% rating.
Perry also shared with The Times how he maintains creative control: “If you’ve hired me to speak to my audience, then you have to let me do that.”
Is Tyler Perry married?
Perry was in a relationship with Gelila Bekele, a filmmaker from Ethiopia, from 2009 to 2020, and they have a son together. Perry keeps his personal life private, and at present, appears to be single.
The Six Triple Eight is available to stream on Netflix