Tyler Perry

Tyler Perry is an American actor, filmmaker, and playwright. Born on September 13, 1969, Perry rose to prominence as the creator and performer of the iconic character Mabel 'Madea' Simmons. He also portrays Madea's brother Joe Simmons and her nephew Brian Simmons. Perry's films range from traditional filmmaking techniques to filmed adaptations of his live stage plays. Notable stage-play films include 'I Can Do Bad All by Myself' (1999). In addition to his work in film, Perry wrote and produced numerous stage plays during the 1990s and early 2000s. He also developed the successful television series 'Tyler Perry's House of Payne' which aired for eight seasons from 2006 to 2012. Perry's accomplishments in the entertainment industry earned him the distinction of being listed as the highest-paid man in entertainment by Forbes in 2011, with earnings of $130 million between May 2010 and May 2011. Perry's partnership with Oprah Winfrey and her OWN network began in 2012.