How Tyler Perry went from humble beginnings to one of the most powerful entertainers in film and television

Tyler Perry was born Emmitt Perry Jr. in New Orleans, Louisiana. He had a tumultuous relationship with his father, after whom he was named.

Perry also grew up going to church with his mother. He explored themes of abuse and faith in his first play “I Know I’ve Been Changed,” which toured from 1998-2000.

Perry introduced the character Madea in his second play “I Can Do Bad All By Myself,” which he later turned into a film starring Tiraji P. Henson of “Empire” fame.

Perry has been playing Madea for 16 years. She was reaching icon status with black audiences long before she was recognizable to the masses.

In 2005, Forbes reported that he sold more than $100 million in show tickets and an additional $30 million in video sales of his stage plays.

He made the switch from successful playwright to successful filmmaker almost overnight.

After conquering the film world, he ventured into television in 2006, producing his first TV show, "House of Payne" for TBS.

In 2009, director Spike Lee accused Perry of perpetuating and reinforcing black stereotypes, calling his brand of entertainment, "coonery buffoonery."

Tyler Perry had experienced a pretty positive reputation among fans, if not among film critics, until 2009. Director Spike Lee, who wrote and directed films about the black experience like “Do the Right Thing” and “Malcolm X” called Tyler Perry’s brand of entertainment “coonery buffoonery.”

Lee was not alone in making the argument that Perry’s characters perpetuated embarrassing and demeaning stereotypes of black people, such as the sassy, uneducated, loud-mouthed black woman.

Tyler Perry had experienced a pretty positive reputation among fans, if not among film critics, until 2009. Director Spike Lee, who wrote and directed films about the black experience like “Do the Right Thing” and “Malcolm X” called Tyler Perry’s brand of entertainment “coonery buffoonery.”

Lee was not alone in making the argument that Perry’s characters perpetuated embarrassing and demeaning stereotypes of black people, such as the sassy, uneducated, loud-mouthed black woman.

Perry responded on "60 Minutes” saying, “It’s attitudes like that, that make Hollywood think that these people do not exist."

In 2009, Perry began to try out a few different roles in Hollywood. Along with Oprah Winfrey, he was an executive producer for the Oscar-nominated movie, "Precious."

Three years later, he starred in the leading role of a film he neither wrote nor produced.

In 2011, Forbes named Perry the highest-paid man in entertainment. He reportedly earned $130 million that year.

The following year, Perry made a triumphant return to television production, signing a deal with the OWN network to develop several shows.

In 2014, Perry welcomed his first child, a baby boy, with his girlfriend Gelila Bekele.

Now, Perry is returning to the silver screen once again playing Madea, this time in a Halloween movie. The movie began as a joke by comedian Chris Rock.