Tyler Perry is best known for his role as Madea in his famous movies and plays that we've grown up watching and loving. He's also a producer, writer, and actor with over 50 projects credited to his name. He has been a staple in the black community for bringing Hollywood to Atlanta and giving so man actors we've watched on the screen their first roles in the buisiness.
This past weekend, he opened his new studio in Atlanta, Georgia in a star studded affair. Black Hollywood came to celebrate and honor Perry for this historic accomplishment. The studio consists of 12 soundstages named after legends that contributed to the film community including Whoppi Goldberg, Will Smith, Spike Lee, Oprah Winfrey, Denzel Washignton, Ceicly Tyson, and Halle Berry. He is the first African-American to own his own film studio without any financial backing. It's 330 acres of land that used to be a confedrate army base. Now it's the home to hundreds of film and tv productions that include residental neighbourhoods, diners, and even an actual replica of the white house used for the new show, The Oval. The studio can house the film studios of Fox, Disney, Sony, Warner Brothers, and Paramount and still have 30 acres to spare, making it the largest film studio in the country.
Tyler Perry shows off new film and TV studiowww.youtube.com
This man is the epitome of a self made man. He survived childhood abuse, being homeless and living in his car, working minimum wage jobs, and used his life savings to fund his first stage play. Twenty years later, he's achieved the impossible. He decided that he was going to build his own table instead of waiting to be invited to Hollywood's. Not only that but he's opened the door for others to work as actors, crew, production staff, hair and make-up artists, writers, directors, and so many more. This has inspired so many people, including myself, to go after their dreams and to never let the no's keep you from getting to that yes. He imagined creating a place where creatives can learn and show their craft and he did that.
So to anyone who is a creative who's starting out, look to Tyler Perry and remember that anything is possible if you put your heart and your mind to it.
