Here's the official movie poster for Tyler Perry's next project

It’s been two months since Tyler Perry released a movie. Never fear, his next one hit screens in just three more.

“Madea’s Big Happy Family,” which arrives in theaters April 22, stars Perry in his famous role as the wisecracking, gun-toting Madea; along with Atlanta rapper turned actor Bow Wow; Teyana Taylor; Lorette Devine; who appeared in “For Colored Girls,” the film Perry released in November; Lauren London and Isaiah Mustafa, better known as the hunky Old Spice dude.

We saw the play from which the new movie is adapted, which Perry said he wrote and performed as a sort of therapy after his beloved mother passed away. The storyline will be familiar to “Madea” fans. A family faces a crisis that brings everyone together, but not before a bunch of petty squabbling, marital tension, and of course, lots of pearls of wisdom from Madea.

“For Colored Girls” received mixed reviews, with the New York Times praising that …

Continue reading Next Tyler Perry movie comes out in April »

Tyler Perry and Oprah Winfrey had a frank conversation about the most difficult time in his life during the episode that aired Wednesday.

He discussed, in great candor, physical abuse he suffered as a child at the hands of his father, and sexual abuse by several others.

“Predators know when a child is an easy mark,” Perry said.

He remained silent for years, not wanting to cause his mother pain. After she passed away last year, he said, he felt it was time to bring it out into the open.

“He knows and I know that because of who he is, this is going to be a pivotal moment not just for him but for millions of men who have survived the unthinkable and have never told a soul, especially their wives,” Winfrey said at the beginning of the show.

By the time he was 10, Perry said, he had been sexually abused by both a woman and several men, and was subjected to regular beatings by his father. His Aunt Jerry was in the audience and confirmed his recollections. She lived around the …

Continue reading Tyler Perry reveals painful secrets on “Oprah” »

A still from Oprah.com

Tyler Perry will discuss a difficult passage of his childhood with his close personal friend Oprah Winfrey today.

“He was beaten, scarred and nearly broken,” the Winfrey site says, giving a preview of today’s visit. “In a groundbreaking interview, Hollywood mogul Tyler Perry reveals the devastating details of his childhood sexual abuse.”

Winfrey’s show airs locally at 4 p.m.weekdays on Channel 2 WSB-TV.

Perry has been keeping busy as always lately, wrapping up his film “Colored Girls,” which was shot largely in the metro Atlanta area. It opens next month.

More recently, he announced on his site that he was pulling the plug on his latest traveling “Madea” play, explaining that he just needed a break. In a post on his site the other day he described today’s interview with Winfrey as the most in-depth one he’s ever given.

We’ll be watching and tweeting live today beginning at 4 p.m. Follow us on Twitter here.

Continue reading Tyler Perry to discuss molestation on “Oprah” today »

Tyler Perry‘s latest production could be called “Tyler Perry needs a break.”

The multi-platform entertainer has decided to pull the plug on his latest traveling play, “Madea’s Big Happy Family.” In a message on his blog he said “right now I’m not capable of giving you the show you want and deserve. I hope one day soon I will be able to make it up to you.”

In brighter news, he’ll be on Oprah this Wednesday. Sounds like that visit will be worth DVRing. Perry said on his blog it will be “the most in depth and revelatory interview I have ever done.”

His latest film, the adaptation of “For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Enuf,” comes out in November. For the film, the title has been shortened to simply “For Colored Girls.”

Buzz took in the traveling “Madea” play last year in Macon. It was boilerplate Tyler Perry, where the family confronts a loss, along with lesser challenges involving relationships, job situations and just getting kids to act right, …

Continue reading Tyler Perry cancels play, goes on Oprah »

Have you seen the trailer for Tyler Perry’s upcoming film adaptation of the play “For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Enuf?”

It’s up on his website now. Here’s the link.

The title, being something of a mouthful, is being shortened for the film to just “For Colored Girls.” The movie stars a slew of big names including Janet Jackson, Loretta Devine, Whoopi Goldberg, Phyllicia Rashad and Thandie Newton, who stepped in at the last minute when Mariah Carey had to bow out. It hits screens next month.

It was filmed largely in the metro Atlanta area, with some shots in New York. There’s a snippet in the trailer that was definitely shot here – at the Joan Glancy Memorial Hospital in Duluth, which is part of Gwinnett Medical Center.

The film originally was to premier in early 2011 but it is being released early. Maybe to be eligible for a 2010 Oscar? It looks powerful. Will you plan to see it?

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The Straight from the A web site nabbed a few minutes with Tyler Perry at the Essence Music Festival in Louisiana over the weekend, and posed questions about that recent “Boondocks” episode that satirized Perry and his “Madea” character.

Perry didn’t want to go into details but did tell Straight from the A, “there is absolutely no truth to the rumor that I’m suing The Boondocks. Those are all lies. I’m not suing anybody over that.”

Perry also said he hasn’t fired anyone on his staff over the numerous rumors floating around since the episode aired.

” I don’t know where all that came from,” he told Straight from the A.

“Boondocks,” created by Aaron McGruder, airs on Adult Swim, while Perry projects “Tyler Perry’s House of Payne” and “Meet the Browns” air on TBS.

Following the episode, titled “Pause,” Turner execs reportedly were busy trying to smooth things over with …

Continue reading Tyler Perry on “Boondocks” rumors »

Whoopi Goldberg, Phylicia Rashad, Janet Jackson and Tyler Perry are in Gwinnett County as I type, working on scenes for the film adaptation of “For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Enuf.”

The cast of Perry’s latest project has been filming scenes up there for a couple of days and should wrap up late tonight. Then, it’s on to Tyler Perry Studios for some interior scenes. The production has been filming in Midtown and Buckhead, and plans to do some shooting at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre, too.

Co-producer Joe Genier told Buzz that things are going well. The film is set to wrap up on July 9 and should be released in January 2011.

“So far, so good,” he said during a break in the action this afternoon. Perry and the cast members – including Loretta Devine, Anika Noni Rose and Thandie Newton, who has taken the place of Mariah Carey – were all ensconced in their trailers during our brief visit to the set.

Genier, who has worked on a number of …

Continue reading Gwinnett is Great…for a Tyler Perry film »

Don’t feel bad, Tyler Perry. Mariah Carey had a good reason to drop out of your film project.

The Radaronline.com site reports the that actress-singer and husband Nick Cannon are expecting.

Carey, who also appeared in “Precious,” presented by Perry and Oprah Winfrey, was to have played a role in Perry’s adaptation of “For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow Is Enuf.”

Scenes for the film will be shot in metro Atlanta, sources have told Buzz.

Sources have told Radar that Carey and Cannon, who renewed their vows to celebrate their second anniversary in May, are “both very excited and very happy.”

Carey’s rep, Cindi Berger, wouldn’t confirm or deny the artist’s gestational state.

In other preggo news, Radar says reality star Khloe Kardashian and her husband, Los Angeles Lakers star Lamar Odom, also are expecting.

“Lamar is happy and ecstatic,” their insider reports.

“Khloe is having cravings of fruit and ice …

Continue reading Celeb stork report: Mariah, Khloe Kardashian expecting »

Tyler Perry has assembled an all-star cast for the production of “For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Enuf” that he is set to direct, Clutch magazine reports.

The cast will include Janet Jackson, Mariah Carey, Whoopi Goldberg, Phylicia Rashad, Jurnee Smollett, Kimberly Elise, Kerry Washington and Macy Gray, the mag says.

Shooting for the film inspired by Ntozake Shange’s 1975 play starts  in New York early this summer, and it should be released by early 2011.

In other Tyler Perry news, a red carpet premiere is being held next week in The Bahamas for “Why Did I Get Married Too,” which was shot there. If you happen to be vacationing at the Atlantis Resort in Nassau on March 29, you might notice the festivities.

Continue reading Tyler Perry’s next project involves all-star cast »

IronE Singleton with John Lee Hancock, director of "The Blind Side," at the film's New York premiere last year.

We’ll be blogging and tweeting about the Academy Awards later today.  For now, here’s an Oscar story with a metro Atlanta tie.

Local connections abound this year, of course. Mo’Nique is all but guaranteed to win best supporting actress honors for her role in the Tyler Perry-Oprah Winfrey produced “Precious.” And Perry will be presenting tonight, a first for him.

Sandra Bullock is up for best actress for her role in “The Blind Side,” which features scenes filmed here, and several locals in various roles.

Among them is IronE Singleton, who plays Alton, a tough-talking guy who from the projects who is highly suspicious of Leanne Tuohy, Bullock’s character. You can see a snippet of his performance in this clip, at about a minute and a half in.

IronE Singleton and his wife, Commaleta, have three children.

For Singleton, a University of Georgia graduate who lives with …

Continue reading Pre-Oscars, here’s a local “Blind Side” tale »