Perry was born Emmitt Perry Jr. in New Orleans, Louisiana on September 13, 1969. He did not graduate from high school but obtained his GED. After enduring childhood abuse at the hands of several family members, Tyler began writing to help heal his psychological wounds. In his early 20s, he was inspired to pursue a career in the field by an episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show that discussed the positive and therapeutic effects writing can have on a person.
Perry found writing to be a beneficial escape. He went on to compose a series of letters to himself, which later served as the basis for the musical I Know I’ve Been Changed. This, along with his other stage productions, quickly gained a following in Atlanta and beyond, reaching a weekly peak of over 35,000 spectators.
Prior to filming a single Hollywood film, Perry reportedly sold more than $100 million in tickets and $30 million in related videos and merchandise for his plays.
Tyler Perry’s Net worth
According to Celebrity Net Worth, American actor, director, playwright, and producer Tyler Perry has an estimated net worth of $800 million.
Career
Throughout his career, he has directed and produced over thirty films, twenty stage productions, and eight television series. He earns between $200 and $250 million annually from his expansive entertainment empire. His production company earns $150 million annually from a single deal with ViacomCBS.
Tyler is a true self-made entrepreneur. I Know I’ve Been Changed was the first play he wrote and produced, from which he built his empire. Tyler, while living in his car, turned that play into a mini theatre empire, which eventually grew into the enormous multi-media empire of today. Tyler owns his costs, revenues, and profits in full.
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Film and Television Success
Tyler Perry’s House of Payne, his popular sitcom, ran for eight seasons, from June 21, 2006, to August 10, 2012. Initial airings of the program on CW generated unexpectedly high ratings for the fledgling network. Perry and Payne were enticed away from CW by a $200 million production guarantee and a 90-episode commitment from TBS. Tyler would dominate the show. Tyler is renowned for spending only $60 million on production costs. The remaining $140 million was kept for himself.
Perry approached the production company Lionsgate with a proposal, riding the wave of his homegrown success. Perry would contribute $2.5 million to a forthcoming film with a $5.5 million budget. Lionsgate contributed the remaining 50% and took a small marketing fee and a 12% distribution fee. After deducting these expenses, they would equally divide the remaining profit. Their first film under this arrangement was Diary of a Mad Black Woman, released in 2005. The film earned an additional $150 million from TV syndication and home video sales, for a total of $50.6 million. As part of his deal with Lionsgate, Perry owns the content and retains fifty percent of the profits.
Tyler Perry Studios
In 2006, the Atlanta-based film production company Tyler Perry Studios was established.
In 2019, Perry unveiled the new home of Tyler Perry Studios, which is located on the 330-acre former military base Fort McPherson that he had purchased four years prior. During the American Civil War, it served as a military base for the Confederacy. Perry paid $30 million for the property and then invested $250 million in renovations and improvements.
On the lot, The Walking Dead has been filmed. Permanent sets occupy approximately 50,000 square feet of the studio lot, including an exact replica of the White House, a trailer park, a luxury hotel, and a 16,000-square-foot mansion. Black Panther, a Marvel blockbuster, was the first film to be shot on the lot.
Tyler became the first African-American to own a major studio by acquiring one of the largest studios in the world. In a given year, other studios, including Netflix and Amazon, rented the studio’s facilities for $100 million.
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Personal Life
At age 16, Perry legally changed his first name to distance himself from his abusive father, Emmitt Perry Sr. Nonetheless, a DNA test conducted years later revealed that Emmitt Sr. was not Perry’s biological father.
Since 2009, Perry has been in a relationship with model and social activist Gelila Bekele, despite being unmarried. Bekele gave birth to their son Aman Tyler Perry in November 2014.
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Perry supports a number of charitable causes and frequently provides assistance to those in need outside of television and film. For example, in 2009, Perry sponsored a trip to Walt Disney World for 65 children from a Philadelphia day camp.
His Controversy
The Writers Guild of America, West filed unfair labor practice charges with the National Labor Relations Board, alleging that Tyler Perry Studios unlawfully terminated four writers in October 2008 in retaliation for their unionization efforts. The disagreement was resolved one month later.
In early 2009, Perry threatened legal action against Mo’ Money Taxes, a tax preparation company based in Memphis, for airing a television advertisement that he claimed offensively parodied his work, specifically Madea Goes to Jail. The advertisement depicted a large Caucasian man named Ma’Madea dressed in drag. The television advertisement was ultimately withdrawn from circulation.
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Assets List
- Perry spends the majority of his time in Atlanta, where he is currently constructing a sprawling new residence close to the headquarters of Tyler Perry Studios. According to reports, he intends to convert a portion of his property into an organic farm. In May 2016, Perry sold his 35,000-square-foot, nine-year-old Atlanta mansion for $17.5 million.
- Perry also owns a 14,000-square-foot, 20-acre residence on the island of White Bay Cay in the Bahamas. In 2009, he reportedly paid $6,4 million for the property.
- In 2018, Perry sold a 10-bedroom home in Mulholland Estates, Los Angeles, that he had purchased just nine months prior for $14.5 million. He sold the home to the rapper and songwriter Pharrell Williams for $15.6 million.
- He still owns a second residence in Los Angeles, which is located in the ultra-exclusive, gated community of Beverly Ridge Estates. On the 22.5-acre property, Perry constructed a 25,000-square-foot mansion that he designed and built himself. In May of 2020, it was revealed that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were renting a residence in Los Angeles as they began a new life. Based on comparable nearby sales, the value of this home exceeds $20 million.
Private Jet
According to reports, Tyler’s Gulfstream III private jet cost $125 million to acquire and customize. The aircraft has a theatre equipped with a 42-inch LCD flat screen and satellite hookup. At least $50 million was spent on customizations and furnishings for the formal living room, kitchen, and VIP bedroom. On multiple occasions, he has used the jet for charitable missions, delivering aid to countries recently struck by disaster. He possesses a second identical private jet.
Quick Facts
| Salary: | $80 Million |
| Date of Birth: | Sep 13, 1969 (53 years old) |
| Gender: | Male |
| Height: | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) |
| Profession: | Screenwriter, Playwright, Film Producer, Television producer, Actor, Film director, Theatre Director, Television Director, Author, Songwriter |
| Nationality: | United States of America |
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