Interview with Tyler Perry

Beliefnet Interview with Tyler Perry

The filmmaker and actor talks about faith and family.

Tyler Perry may be best known for his role as "Madea"--an over-the-top, pistol-packing grandmother--in "Diary of a Mad Black Woman" and "Madea's Family Reunion," and for his 2007 movie, "Daddy's Little Girls." Now, he's making the move to television with a new sitcom on TBS called "Tyler Perry's House of Payne" about a family who is brought together under one roof who have different views on work, child-rearing, and just about everything else.

In 2005, Perry spoke to Beliefnet entertainment editor Michael Kress about the roles of faith and family in his life and movies. And, because so much of what he had to say about his movies also applies to his new series, we are re-posting parts of the interview, complete with photos of the "Payne" characters.

[Image: Tyler Perry]

The Definition of Family

Family is a recurring theme in your work. Why is it so important to you, and what is your definition of family?

Family and faith are both very important to me, and forgiveness. I think that with everything I've done, in the end, whoever the central character is, they would find a way to forgive, because that's really important to me. Forgiveness is important in families, especially when there are so many secrets that need to be healed--for the most part, every family's got them.

[Image: The Payne family, clockwise from top left: Lance Gross as Calvin, Demetria McKinney as Janine, Allen Payne as C.J., Larramie "Doc" Shaw as Malik, LaVan Davis as Curtis "Pops", Cassi Davis as Ella, and China McClain as Jasmine.]

The Healing Power of Humor

What is the role of faith in your life?

It is extremely important. I am a Christian, I am a believer, and I know had I not been a person of faith, I couldn't be here in this place, and I wouldn't be walking the path that I'm on now. And I think the greater good of the path I'm on now is to teach people to learn to forgive and move on, in a way that's done through the healing power of humor.

What I've been able to do with my character, Madea, and the other characters, with the jokes, is use it as an anesthetic to get to the heart and soul of real issues. And what I've found on stage over the years is that, while making people laugh, I can drop in pearls of wisdom. That's like tilling the soil for the seeds to be planted. And that's what I've tried to do, to plant seeds that will grow into good situations, seeds that will grow into abundant life for many people.

[Image: China McClain and Larramie "Doc" Shaw star as siblings Jasmine and Malik.]

Perry on God

How would you describe your relationship with God?

I've always believed in God, from the time I was very, very young. I always knew there was something with me, not necessarily knowing what to call it. But I've got aunts and uncles and cousins who were pastors and ministers, and growing up around them, I've always had this close connection, and I've always prayed, and I've always felt my prayers were answered in time. So I've always had that close connection, and I am grateful for it, because I've watched--because of my faith in God, because of my love and my belief--everything in my life, no matter how bad, work together for my good.

[Image: Allen Payne stars as C.J., the nephew of Curtis 'Pops' Payne played by LaVan Davis.]

The Generation Gap

You've said that you are "passionate about mending the disconnect" between generations. What is that disconnect and how do we overcome it?

I don't know how it happens for the world, but I can tell you how it happens for what I'm doing. Through humor and comedy, I've been able to bridge the gaps and speak to both about the same things but on different levels at the same time.

The great thing about the gift that I've been given, and only God could have done this, I'll stand on the stage every night--I see about 35,000 people a week--and the other day I asked, "Who's the youngest in the audience?" There was an 8-year-old sitting in the front row. And I said, "Who's the oldest?" There was a woman who was 91 sitting in the balcony. So it's such a wonderful thing for me to be able to speak across generations to all of these families. That's a gift, and I don't know too many people who can do it on this earth in this manner. What it means to me to be able to do that is absolutely just one huge blessing. The disconnect between the two is because the older generation's morals and values are very different from the younger generation, and trying to find a way to bring them together has been a challenge, but it's also been something that has been done, so I am pretty excited about that.

[Image: The Payne kids annoy their uncle Curtis]