Page 30 - ARUBA TODAY

A30 PEOPLE & ARTS
Wednesday 2 OctOber 2019
Tyler Perry believes his

studio rivals Hollywood's best

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Tyler "I gave them the absolute I'm on (the) set directing ev-
Perry remembered shed- best," he said. "I built the ery show. That's so rare for
ding tears when he saw an absolute best I could. We the town. They can't even
Atlanta highway exit bear- perform and run this place wrap their brains around
ing the name of his televi- like a top. We have excel- it. On these TV shows, they
sion and film studio for the lent service and everything shoot three, four or five
first time. you would expect to have pages a day. I'm shooting
The actor-director-writer in a major film television 90 pages a day. It's very

Filmmaker/actor Tyler Perry, known for the "Madea" films, believes he might have studio. People are glad to difficult for them to even
speaks during a ceremony honoring him with a star on the Hol- the same emotions dur- shoot here. A lot of them wrap their brains around
lywood Walk of Fame on Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2019, in Los Angeles. ing the grand opening of want to return because of that to understand. So I
Associated Press his massive state-of-the-art the way we handled it." feel like they don't get it. If
Tyler Perry Studios on Sat- Perry went from being they did understand, they
urday night. He's planning homeless to become a would realize that there's a
a star-studded unveiling of force as a filmmaker to lot to Hollywood that could
his 330-acre studio, where now being honored with change or should change."
some big projects have al- a star on the Hollywood One place Perry believes
ready been filmed includ- Walk of Fame, which he he can continue to make
ing his "Madea" films along will receive Tuesday. His a difference is through his
with AMC's "Walking Dead" career has been built on studio. He's known for cre-
and Marvel's blockbuster the success of his "Madea" ating opportunities for Afri-
hit "Black Panther." stage play tours and mov- can Americans and other
"When I came here in 1992, ies along with his "Why Did I people of color to work
I came with a dream," Perry Get Married?" films. on his sets since opening a
said in a recent interview. He recently partnered with 200,000-square-foot studio
"I'm looking at everything Viacom to launch the BET in 2006. He sold that studio
I've dreamed and more Plus streaming service, a few years ago after he
to come to pass. It just re- which debuted last month. moved to his current loca-
minds me. I just thought He'll also have two new tion.
this was the Promised Land drama series, "The Oval" Perry believes his films and
and that sign reminded me and "Sistas," premiere on owning a studio could have
of that every time I pass it. BET this month. a lasting impact on his leg-
The studio is a reminder as But with all his accomplish- acy. But he wants the stu-
well." ments, Perry said Holly- dio to become a beacon
Perry said his sprawling wood still has a hard time to inspire other filmmakers
studio rivals other major understanding the value of with the hope of keeping it
Hollywood studios includ- his content, which has got- in the family.
ing Warner Bros. and Para- ten what he calls "undying" "I think they will go hand
mount Pictures. It's con- support from African Ameri- in hand," Perry said of his
sidered one of the largest cans. He said the industry filmmaking career and
production studios in the also struggles to realize the studio ventures. "But I think
country with 12 soundstag- "power of the black dollar" this brick-and-mortar of
es, 40 buildings on-site that and the amount of work the studio speaks volumes
are listed on the National he's put into each project. because it's not about
Register of Historic Places "Nobody in Hollywood be- my dream. It's about all
and more than 200 acres lieves that I'm sitting around the other people that are
of green space. and writing seven series by able to come in and build
The filmmaker built the stu- myself," he said. "I have dreams and share dreams
dio on a former Army base no writer's room because and tell their stories as well. I
called Fort McPherson, nobody else is writing any- hope it lives on forever and
which is south of downtown thing. I'm writing every- ever. And if my son wants
Atlanta, after purchasing thing. There's nobody else to take it over, that would
the land in 2015. directing any of the shows. be even better."q

'You're good-looking': Ukraine's

leader woos Tom Cruise

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — for an upcoming film, ac- walked in, he said "You're
Ukraine's leader isn't just try- cording to Ukrainian Presi- good-looking!," according
ing to charm U.S. President dent Volodymyr Zelenskiy's to video excerpts released
Donald Trump — he's set his office. Zelenskiy tapped Tuesday by his office.
sights now on Tom Cruise, his roots as a TV and film The video excerpts includ-
too. comedian when host- ed no mention of Trump or
Mission impossible? Maybe ing Cruise in the Ukrainian the U.S. impeachment in-
not — Cruise is studying presidential headquarters quiry in which Ukraine plays
possible Ukrainian locations Monday night. As Cruise a starring role.q