Look Who it Was Random video

Tyler Perry talks about playing Alex Cross

2,613 views · Published 20 October 2012 · 4:48 · Indexed 30 October 2026

Channel: BlackTree TV · 2012 · Entertainment

Watch on YouTube

Shawn Edwards "Sunshine", talks with Tyler Perry about being a top earner in Hollywood, the intimidation he faces playing the character once dawned by Morgan Freeman, and his new deal with the OWN network.

"I am sure a lot of people were confounded when they heard Tyler was doing this character after Morgan Freeman did the role in earlier movies," says director Rob Cohen. "Tyler usually sticks to his own productions but if you read Jim's books, the character is a 40-year-old guy who is big and physical; that's Tyler. He's truer to the Patterson character from the books than what was previously done on screen with Morgan."

For his part, Perry admits to a little bit of trepidation stepping into the role. "Knowing that Morgan Freeman had done this role was very, very intimidating but also thrilling to know I took on something that Morgan said yes to," says Perry.

"Tyler is physically perfect," says Patterson. "And he's going to blow people's minds how good he is in a dramatic role because people have seen him do comedy and a little bit of drama but nothing like this."

"Jim knew that this movie was important because it's the origin story of the character. Since he created the character nearly 20 years ago, television is now chock full of procedural investigations that are 'walk-and-talks' so we had to take this to another level," says producer Bill Block.

TYLER PERRY (Alex Cross) has lived an inspirational journey from the hard streets of New Orleans to the heights of Hollywood's A-list and is the stuff of American legend. Born into poverty and raised in a household scarred by abuse, Tyler fought from a young age to find the strength, faith and perseverance that would later form the foundations of his much-acclaimed plays, films, books and shows.

It was a simple piece of advice from Oprah Winfrey that set Tyler's career in motion. Encouraged to keep a diary of his daily thoughts and experiences, he began writing a series of soul-searching letters to himself. The letters, full of pain and in time, forgiveness, became a healing catharsis. His writing inspired a musical, I Know I've Been Changed, and in 1992 Tyler gathered his life's savings and set off for Atlanta in hopes of staging it for sold out crowds. He spent all the money but the people never came, and Tyler once again came face to face with the poverty that had plagued his youth. He spent months sleeping in seedy motels and his car but his faith - in God and, in turn, himself - only got stronger. He forged a powerful relationship with the church, and kept writing. In 1998 his perseverance paid off and a promoter booked I Know I've Been Changed for a limited run at a local church-turned-theatre. This time, the community came out in droves, and soon the musical moved to Atlanta's prestigious Fox Theatre. Tyler Perry never looked back.

And so began an incredible run of thirteen plays in as many years, including Woman Thou Art Loosed!, a celebrated collaboration with the prominent Dallas pastor T.D. Jakes.

In the year 2000, I Can Do Bad All By Myself marked the first appearance of the now-legendary Madea. The God-fearing, gun-toting, pot-smoking, loud-mouthed grandmother, Madea, was played by Perry himself. Madea was such a resounding success, she soon spawned a series of plays - Madea's Family Reunion (2002), Madea's Class Reunion (2003), Madea Goes To Jail (2005) - and set the stage for Tyler's jump to the big screen.

In early 2005, Tyler's first feature film, Diary of a Mad Black Woman, debuted at No. 1 nationwide. His ensuing films, Madea's Family Reunion, Daddy's Little Girls, Why Did I Get Married?, Meet The Browns, The Family That Preys, I Can Do Bad All by Myself, and Why Did I Get Married Too? have all met with massive critical and commercial success, delighting audiences across America and around the world.


A  A BlackTree Media Production  Thank you for watching! Blacktree is at all the hottest events on the planet (award shows, movie premieres and press junkets, fashion shows, etc.) and now BLACKTREE ON TV brings stars to YOU on Soul of the South! Watch Full episodes below, and tune in!

WEEKDAYS | 5:30 – 6:00pm, 1-1:30am WEEKENDS | 5 – 6:00pm Sat & Sun (CST) _________________________

BlackTree Media Production
Subscribe to our channel http://goo.gl/lVN14
Log onto our stream at http://goo.gl/74Ama
Follow us on twitter @BlackTreeTV Click here to see more unique video at Comcast Xfinity 'Celebrate BlackTV' click here:  http://xfin.tv/1sgUqKk

More from this channel