Tyler Perry's mom Willie Maxine was 'wisdom' behind his notorious character Madea after suffering da

May 2024 · 3 minute read

TYLER Perry has revealed his iconic movie character Madea, as well as several other characters, were inspired by his mom.

Perry, 54, gave an emotional interview on The View to promote his new documentary series, "Maxine's Baby: The Tyler Perry Story."

The series filmed Perry for over a decade, exploring his life and relationship with his mother, Maxine Willie Perry.

His mother died in 2009, when she was only 64 years old.

During the interview, Sara Haines, co-host of The View, shared she felt like she had met Maxine after watching Perry’s film.

Perry became extremely emotional in response, thanking Haines profusely, as his eyes welled with tears and The View's other co-host, Sunny Hostin, rubbed his back to comfort him.

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"To say that you met her through that, that takes me somewhere, because that's a woman who endured so much pain, and she didn't have some legacy but she had me, and to say I was able to introduce her to you, you got me there, Jesus Christ, Lord have mercy. I appreciate that," Tyler said.

Perry had a difficult childhood because he and his mother suffered through his father's violent and abusive temper.

In the film, Lucky Johnson, Perry's cousin, offered directors Armani Ortiz and Gelila Bekele, a tour of Perry's childhood home in New Orleans.

Johnson pointed out where Perry would hide during his father's abusive rampages.

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Perry said that to escape his horrific circumstances he would "go in my mind to a different place," imagining in high detail various homes and backyards.

The filmmaker revealed in his 2019 acceptance speech for BET's Ultimate Icon Award that he would cheer his mother after an episode of abuse by imitating her female friends.

"My first 10 movies were all about her, subconsciously, wanting her to know that she’s worthy, wanting Black women to know, 'You’re worthy, you’re special, you’re powerful, you’re amazing,” Perry said in his speech.

Perry shared in the documentary series that one of the driving forces early in his career was to make enough money to help his mother escape her turbulent marriage.

“I just imagine a woman who’s lived her entire life with so much pain, and she was always worried about everybody else," Perry told The View.

"I watched her get sick, I watched her get cancer, I watched her have all of these things, because her intention was: ‘Are you happy? Are you OK?’” he recalled.

“She never put herself on the list. She never thought she was important, and she never thought anybody would care,” Perry continued. “So to say that this documentary... introduces her to the world, that moves me ‘cause she was very much that special to me.

The documentary, now streaming on Amazon Prime, was dedicated to Willie Maxine Perry. It showcases Perry's achievements such as the opening of his trailblazing film studios.

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It also features interviews from Perry about different moments in his life, as well as interviews from his famous friends such as Oprah Winfrey and Gayle King.

Its title is from the final scene of the series in which Perry, who has been asked to share what defines him, replies, “I’m Tyler Perry, and I’m Maxine’s baby.”

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