Tyler Perry

About Tyler Perry

Tyler Perry (born September 13, 1969) is an American playwright, actor and film director. His best-known character is Mabel Simmons, more commonly known as "Madea," an overbearing but well-intentioned woman who serves both as comic relief and as the loud voice of conscience to the protagonists of Perry's plays.

Tyler was born Emmitt R. Perry, Jr. in New Orleans, one of four children. Perry changed his first name to Tyler because of his troubled relationship with his father. His father, Emmitt, Sr., was a carpenter and construction worker, and his mother, Maxine, was a pre-school teacher and worked at the New Orleans Jewish Community Center for most of her life. His childhood in New Orleans was marked by poverty and physical abuse from his father. Perry dropped out of school when he was 16, but later went back to school to obtain his GED. Perry is a Christian. Perry has repeatedly been caught up in rumors as to the nature of being gay, but he continues to deny it by saying "If you can't separate the character from the man I am that's your problem."

Perry was named in connection with an investigation into steroid abuse in 2007. Although Perry's publicist declined to comment it is noted that Perry has battled asthma all his life and uses steroids as a means of treatment.