"I wanted to make sure she knew that there were people who valued her," said Perry.
Tyler Perry made sure that Cicely Tyson knew her worth in the industry.
In a cover interview with AARP The Magazine, Perry shared that he paid the actress $1 million for a single day of work on his movie Why Did I Get Married? in 2007. “I’ve never said this publicly, but I took care of Ms. Tyson for the last 15 years of her life,” the A Madea Homecoming actor said. “She was a proud woman, and the only reason I mention this is because she wrote it in her book. This woman had done so many amazing things, but she wasn’t well compensated for it. She made $6,000 for Sounder, you know? I wanted to make sure she knew that there were people who valued her.”
ICYMI: The late actress appeared in several of his films, and Perry says he paid her the hefty amount for just one day of filming because he knew her value. https://t.co/o1RyWbZGIl
— HotNewHipHop (@HotNewHipHop) August 3, 2022
He continued, “So, she did one day of work on my 2007 film Why Did I Get Married? I paid her a million dollars. I loved working with her. And it makes me feel great that I was in a position to give this incredible woman some security in her latter years.”
.@tylerperry says he paid #CicelyTyson $1 million for one day of work: "I loved working with her" https://t.co/kNJ1pLQ9ZE
— ET Canada (@ETCanada) August 2, 2022
Tyson passed away last year at 96. After her passing, Perry took to Instagram to pen an earnest tribute to the actress. "My heart breaks in one beat, while celebrating her life in the next," he wrote.
"To think that she lived for 96 years and I got to be a part of the last 16 brings me great joy. She called me son. Well, today your son grieves your loss and will miss our long talks, your laughter from your belly, and your very presence," he continued. "Always so regal, always so classy, always a lady, always a queen," Perry added. "Every time we would talk I would ask, 'How are you?' and you would say, 'I'm still here. He must have something he wants me to do.' Well, I think it's safe to say you have done all you were put here to do, and we are all better for it."
Tyler Perry Says He Paid Cicely Tyson $1 Million for Single Day of Work Because He 'Valued Her'https://t.co/jLN1PEqaay
— Stephen (@Stephen50653676) August 3, 2022
Both Perry and Tyson have worked on several projects together including Diary of a Mad Black Woman (2005), Madea's Family Reunion (2006), and Why Did I Get Married Too? (2010). Tyson's career spans 60 years with more than 90 credits under her name. She never got tired of the entertainment industry and that's what her work speaks of.
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