Does Tyler Perry Have Kids? Who is Tyler Perry? Tyler Perry's Age, Family, and More
by J Nandhini | Updated Nov 30, 2023
Who is Tyler Perry?
Tyler Perry is an American actor, filmmaker, and entrepreneur, known for creating and starring in plays and movies about African-American experiences. Born Emmitt Perry Jr. on September 13, 1969, in New Orleans, Louisiana, Perry had a tough childhood with poverty, abuse, and neglect. To deal with his tough times, he started writing plays when he was a teenager.
In 1992, Perry moved to Atlanta, Georgia, to follow a career in theater. He began making and starring in his plays in small places. At first, people had mixed opinions about his plays, but soon they became popular among African-American audiences.
Perry's big break happened in 1996 with the play "I Know I've Been Changed," performed for over 10,000 people. This play was a hit, making Perry a big name in theater. In the late 1990s, Perry started turning his plays into movies. His first movie, "Madea Goes to Jail," came out in 2009 and earned over $125 million. Perry went on to direct and act in more successful films like "Why Did I Get Married?" (2009), "Meet the Browns" (2009), and "Tyler Perry's Temptation" (2013).
Perry is also successful in TV. He created and produced shows like "Tyler Perry's House of Payne" (2006-2012), "Tyler Perry's Meet the Browns" (2009-2011), and "Tyler Perry's For Better or Worse" (2010-2022). These shows were loved by African-American audiences, making Perry a top voice in black entertainment.
Besides movies and TV, Perry is a thriving entrepreneur. He owns Tyler Perry Studios, the biggest African-American-owned studio in the U.S. Perry has also started other businesses, including a clothing line, a perfume line, and a restaurant.
Name
Tyler Perry
Born
September 13, 1969
Birthplace
New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
Occupation
Actor, Filmmaker, Playwright, Screenwriter, Director, Producer, Entrepreneur
Notable Works
"Madea Goes to Jail" (2009), "Why Did I Get Married?" (2009), "Tyler Perry's Temptation" (2013), "Tyler Perry's House of Payne" (2006-2012), "Tyler Perry's Meet the Browns" (2009-2011), "Tyler Perry's For Better or Worse" (2010-2022)
Production Company
Tyler Perry Studios
Business Ventures
Clothing line, Perfume line, Restaurant
Awards
NAACP Image Awards, BET Awards, Humanitarian Award from the Human Rights Foundation
Honors
Honorary Doctorate from Emory University (2017)
Personal
Never married, one child (son Aman with ex-girlfriend Gelila Bekele)
Does Tyler Perry Have Kids? How many Kids Does Tyler Perry Have?
Yes, Tyler Perry has one son, Aman Tyler Perry. Tyler Perry has a son with his ex-girlfriend, Gelila Bekele, who is a model. They met at a Prince concert in 2007 and had their son on November 30, 2014. However, they separated in 2020.
Perry values his privacy and doesn't want his family to deal with the challenges of his fame. He shared in a 2022 interview with AARP The Magazine that being a father to Aman is his biggest motivation. Notably, Tyler Perry has never been married. His most extended relationship was with Bekele, lasting from 2009 to 2020. Bekele is also involved in running Perry's charity, The Perry Foundation.
Tyler Perry Age
Tyler Perry was born on September 13, 1969. He is 54 years old.
Tyler Perry Parents
Tyler Perry's parents were Willie Maxine Perry (née Campbell) and Emmitt Perry Sr. Willie Maxine Perry (1945-2009) was a stay-at-home mom and a caring mother to Tyler. She played a big role in his life, and he thinks she's a big part of why he's successful. Sadly, she passed away on December 8, 2009, at 64 years old.
Emmitt Perry Sr. (1936-2021) was a carpenter. He was a firm but caring dad, teaching Tyler the value of working hard and never giving up. He passed away on March 16, 2021, at 85 years old.
Tyler Perry Nationality
Tyler Perry is a guy from America who does a lot of things like acting, making movies, writing plays, and more. He was born on September 13, 1969, in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Tyler Perry Career
Tyler Perry is a famous American who does a lot of things like acting, making movies, writing plays, and more. People know him for his great plays, awesome movies, and TV shows that have had a big impact on entertainment. He was born Emmitt Perry Jr. on September 13, 1969, in New Orleans, Louisiana. Perry's journey to becoming a big deal in culture shows how tough and creative he is.
Perry started doing theater as a way to cope with his tough childhood. He used plays to understand and share his feelings. In 1992, he moved to Atlanta, Georgia, to make his passion a job.
Even though Perry's early plays didn't get great reviews, he didn't give up. He kept writing, directing, and acting in his plays, getting better and connecting with more and more African American fans who liked how real his stories were.
In 1996, things changed for Perry with his play "I Know I've Been Changed." People loved it for its powerful messages about faith, forgiveness, and redemption. This play made Perry a big name in theater.
With his success in theater, Perry moved on to making movies. His 2009 film "Madea Goes to Jail" broke records and became the highest-grossing independent film ever. Perry kept making hit movies like "Why Did I Get Married?" (2009), "Meet the Browns" (2009), and "Tyler Perry's Temptation" (2013).
Perry didn't just stop at movies; he also became a big deal in TV. His shows, like "Tyler Perry's House of Payne" (2006-2012), "Tyler Perry's Meet the Browns" (2009-2011), and "Tyler Perry's For Better or Worse" (2010-2022), kept African-American audiences hooked with diverse stories and relatable characters.
Perry is more than just an entertainer; he's a business guy too. He started his own company, Tyler Perry Studios, making it the biggest African-American-owned studio in the U.S. Perry also got into other businesses like a clothing line, perfume line, and a restaurant, showing off his many skills.
In his amazing career, Perry got lots of awards like NAACP Image Awards, BET Awards, and a Humanitarian Award from the Human Rights Foundation. Emory University even gave him an honorary doctorate in 2017 for being a role model to artists and making a big impact on society.
Does Tyler Perry Have Kids? - FAQs
No, Tyler Perry has never been married.
Yes, Tyler Perry has one child, a son named Aman, with his ex-girlfriend Gelila Bekele.
"Madea Goes to Jail" (2009) is one of Tyler Perry's most successful films, breaking box office records and becoming the highest-grossing independent film at the time.
Tyler Perry is an American actor, filmmaker, and entrepreneur, known for creating and starring in plays and movies about African-American experiences.