Courtesy Photo
Tyler Perry Takes Off His Dress
And is Now Packing a Six-Shooter
Beverly Cohn Editor-at-Large
yler Perry is a self-made franchise who pulled himself up by the bootstraps.
Having been a product of an extremely abusive childhood, which included
beatings administered by his father, as well as outside sexual abuse,
Perry could have very easily followed in his violent father's footsteps,
but instead, after dealing with teen-age depression and living in his
car at one point, went on to distance himself, eventually carving out
a special niche by producing plays and films with a Christian moral
tone and according to Forbes, has emerged as the entertainment industry's
highest paid man, earning $130 million in 2010-2011.
Perry's first film was "Diary of a Mad Black Woman,"
followed by "Madea's Family Reunion" in which he played the
female lead of Madea, reprising that role in subsequent films. Stepping
out of his "comfort zone," Perry is starring in the latest
film version of James Patterson's iconic character, Alex Cross, originally
created on screen by the inimitable Morgan
Freeman. Written by Mark Moss and Kerry Williamson and directed
by Rob Cohen, the film co-stars Edward
Burns, Matthew Fox, Rachel Nichols, Cicely Tyson, Carmen Ejogo,
Giancarlo Esposito, John C. McGinley, and Jean Reno.
Perry recently participated in a press conference to
promote "Alex Cross" and the following has been edited for
content and continuity for print purposes.
L-R: French Actor Jean Reno and Tyler Perry discuss
a scene with director Rob Cohen. Photo Courtesy of Summit
Entertainment. Photo by: Sidney Baldwin.
Given your extensive credits in stage and film, where
you are always the one in charge, was it difficult to just be an actor?
Tyler: What I know about me is that when you know how
to lead, you also have to know how to follow. So in this thing, I'm
working with James
Patterson, who created this brilliant character, and Rob Cohen who
is a brilliant director and I had the opportunity of learning from both
of them. So for me, it was all about surrender and staying out of anything
that I would usually do and just be the character. It allowed me to
go to places I'd never gone before and I'm grateful for that.
Tyler Perry enjoyed the experience of being talent
for hire and just concentrating on developing the Alex Cross character.
Photo Courtesy of Summit Entertainment.
Photo by: Sidney Baldwin.
Could you elaborate on that?
Tyler: Great places for me means being on screen having
the opportunity to just focus on the character, be the character, experience
all his different levels, and all of his complexities, from the doctor
to the family man, to being sensitive, to being a complete animal when
he's been wronged and has to track the killer. All of those things were
quite intriguing me so that's what I mean by having the opportunity
to play all those emotions.
"Its always been easier for me to have
a costume to hide behind." Courtesy Photo
What were the elements that convinced you to take
the role originally created by Morgan Freeman and given you are usually
heavily costumed and made up, how did you feel about exposing your chest?
Tyler: There were certain things that made me say yes.
James Patterson, his description of Alex Cross, and Rob directing -
all of those things. (Cohen said Tyler was closer to the look of
the character than Morgan Freeman.) When Rob told me he wanted me
to be raw in it, he suggested Krav Maga (Israeli self-defense training)
and I liked it enough to know that I had to keep it up. It's always
been easier for me to have a costume to hide behind and here I had nothing
and it was challenging and bit frightening, but usually that's when
I'll take things on - when I'm a bit afraid. When there's a bit of fear,
I challenge myself to go as far as I can. So, taking the shirt off was
pretty scary, but it's o.k.
How do you feel about having learned Krav Maga?
Tyler: When it's all done, it's so relaxing and it's
great to know how to defend yourself. It was Rob's idea that I start
taking it for the movie and I fell it love with it. It also has helped
me to keep my weight down and I can now kick some ass and that's pretty
good. Thanks Israel. (laughter)
Carmen Ejogo as Maria Cross enjoys a moment with
her husband Alex, (Tyler Perry) before tragedy strikes.
Photo Courtesy of Summit Entertainment. Photo by: Sidney Baldwin.
Alex Cross seeks vengeance after tragedy befalls
his wife and goes to a much darker place than the character in the novels.
How did you develop that aspect of your character?
Tyler: I think everyone of us in life has some sort
of moment that we wished we could have done differently or we wished
that we could have had a different outcome. What I did in preparing
for those moments, as I thought about those things, a lot of it was
rooted in my past relationships, childhood situations, business deals,
or things that I've gone through. So, there were many times when I had
to tap into my own experiences to be able to get to a place where I
could convincingly become that character in those moments - the intrigue,
the revenge, the fight, the fight back. It's not me by nature, but I
think we all have a bit of it in us and I just had to find a way to
tap into it.
"Rob (Cohen) is that kind of director
he knew where to go, he knew what he wanted, and knew how to get there."
Photo Courtesy of Summit Entertainment.
Photo by: Sidney Baldwin.
Was it easy for you to take off the director's hat
and just focus on your character and also did you learn anything from
Rob that you can take into your own directing projects?
Tyler: I made a 100% commitment to let go. When I said
yes, I was going to show up as talent for hire and that's exactly what
I did. I'm good at giving up control to people who know where they're
going and what they want to do. I can sit in the back of a car and ride
cross-country if you know where you're going and you know how to take
me there. Rob is that kind of director - he knew where to go, he knew
what he wanted, and knew how to get there, so I just followed along.
That was easy for me. It would have been a tedious process had it been
a director who was unsure of every situation.
Morgan Freeman as the original Alex Cross.
Courtesy Photo
Did you see the other Alex Cross films and did Morgan
Freeman's performance influence you in any way?
Tyler: I saw both films when they first came out, but
let me tell you something. That's Morgan frickin' Freeman, okay? (laughter)
You don't try to anything that Morgan Freeman does. He was the voice
of God in a movie okay? (laughter) So I knew going in that I
could not try to be Morgan Freeman playing Alex Cross. I had to be the
best Tyler Perry I could playing Alex Cross, so in that sense I tried
to forget everything I saw.
Tyler Perry as Alex Cross at a crime scene. Photo
Courtesy of Summit Entertainment.
Photo by: Sidney Baldwin.
Tyler Perry's Alex Cross moves to a very dark
place and seeks vengeance. Photo Courtesy of Summit
Entertainment.
Photo by: Sidney Baldwin.
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Did you ever speak to him about the character?
Tyler: I did not. He's the voice of God man. I'm not
going to call him up and say what do you think? I did not speak to him
about it but now that's it all over, and after he sees it, maybe I will.
Will you be taking on more roles as a bad ass in
the future?
Tyler: It depends and I'll tell you why. I really committed
to being this character and spent a lot of time with the Atlanta Police
Department in their homicide and cold case divisions and was really
involved in some things that I don't do in my day-to-day-life. So, after
it was all over, I had to check in with myself to see how I felt about
it because when you take on something that dark, you really have to
commit and go into some dark places. I would consider it based on how
far I would have to take my person, my mind, my body, soul, and spirit
into that type of world before I would do it again because the only
way to do it right is you have to go in and try and understand as much
as you can about it, and that's not always comfortable.
Alex Cross tries to capture the sadistic killer
Picasso played by Matthew Fox. Photo Courtesy of Summit
Entertainment. Photo by: Sidney Baldwin.
Your films have a moral core to them but despite
being a family man, your Alex Cross goes into some very dark places.
How do you think the your audience will receive the shift in your character's
moral compass and will they accept you as a kick-ass character?
Tyler: The great thing about my audience is that even
though there is an association with me with the character of Madea,
they have seen me in other roles and have supported me. They'll understand
that this is an acting role and was something I didn't write, produce,
and direct so I don't think there's going to be any resistance to it.
I have a very strong feeling that they're going to enjoy the movie as
a fun, action thriller and accept it as a movie rather than a moral
play that tries to raise consciousness, which is what I've tried to
do before. I think in this story, given what he (Cross) went
through, the ends justify the means. I may lose a lot of the grandmothers
who come out after church, but I'll do something for them little later
on. For me, it's all about evolving, growing, and trying something new.
Do you feel that you've turned the corner and are
now wide open to do whatever you want to?
Tyler: I don't know if it's wide open. The audience
is going to determine whether it's wide open or not. But for me, what
I've never wanted to do was allow myself to be put in a box, so I've
tried to do a lot of different things so this is a step in trying to
do something different so we'll see how it goes. I'm under no illusions
that this is slam-dunk. I did the best I could and that's all I can
rely on.
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Did the character of Madea inform your Cross
character in any way?
Tyler: As far as Madea goes, let me tell you Madea
doesn't live with me all the time. These are two different, very
specific characters and I don't think there's any part of her
in him and I don't think there's any part of him in her. It's
taking on both roles and trying to be as convincing as I can with
each of them.
The film had a limited budget but was it luxurious
given your budgets are usually pretty small?
Tyler: Because he had three times what I had and
what he was trying to accomplish? (laughter) What he managed
to put together with this movie at that budget was astounding
to me and he should be applauded because as I watched it played
back, it looked like a big, huge $100 million movie.
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Do you now want to make films on a larger scale or
direct an Alex Cross movie?
Cicely Tyson plays Nana
Mama who runs the Cross household. Photo Courtesy
of Summit Entertainment. Photo by: Sidney Baldwin
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Tyler: My movies are simple stories. Put the camera
over there and tell the story. I have some of those ideas, but the thing
is being Alex Cross on that set and watching and learning and paying
attention to everything that was going on there, I realized that here's
a moment for me to learn so until I learn and understand more about
how those types films are done action, sci-fi even though
I have a desire to do it, I won't go into it until I'm very clear that
I can do it and that moment hasn't come yet. Maybe one day I will ready,
but for now, I just enjoyed playing the character.
Were you responsible for the casting of Cicely Tyson
as your grandmother?
Tyler: I had nothing to do with her being hired and
was very surprised and elated and happy to have an opportunity to work
with her when I wasn't directing her. She's a legend with and class
and the grace.
How do you see your association with OWN (Opra Winfrey's
Network) in developing material for television and film?
Tyler: I've been doing television for quite some time,
so Oprah and I thought it was a great idea to partner up. I am going
to buy my own network and I thought it was a great opportunity for both
of us. It's a win-win because I get the opportunity to give her what
she needs, which is programming, and at the same time, I get to learn
how to run a network.
Tyler Perry and Oprah Winfrey have joined forces
to create programming for her OWN Network. Courtesy Photo
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