*Tyler Perry’s life story may be at the center of a new documentary but don’t expect insight into the entertainment mogul from his abusive father.
Although he had a chance to clear the air surrounding abusing his famous son, Emmitt Perry Sr. was anything but open when a film crew for “Maxine’s Baby: The Tyler Perry Story,” came to speak to him.
WBLS reports via People that the patriarch was verbally abusive towards the film crew when directors Armani Ortiz and Gelila Bekele traveled to Louisiana with Perry’s cousin, Lucky Johnson, to interview him.
“That was a difficult moment when we went to go film him and being in the car and just getting that interaction,” Ortiz said about the incident, which was captured in “Maxine’s Baby.” “I remember calling Gelila [and saying], ‘We didn’t get it. We didn’t get the interview,’ and I was heartbroken. I was like, ‘Yo, this is going to be a chance for him to tell his truth also and to give a little bit more context as to what really happened.’ “
“And [Bekele] was like, ‘No, that’s the answer that the story needs, because it’s his answer. It is what he wanted to do, and what he wanted to do is not be a part of it at all,’” he added.
The elder Perry’s reaction to the film crew comes amid the release of “Maxine’s Baby.” The feature, which is currently streaming on Amazon Prime Video, chronicles Perry’s life and childhood abuse as well as the popularity of his films. Critics of the 54-entertainer’s work are also highlighted, with scenes from the documentary being filmed in Louisiana, New Orleans, the city where Perry grew up.
The abuse Perry suffered at the hands of his father is a topic he has been vocal about, most notably via an appearance on “The Oprah Winfrey Show.” During that episode, the “Midea” actor cited emotional abuse as the reason he changed his birth name—Emmitt Jr., after his father, Emmitt Sr.—to Tyler.
Throughout “Maxine’s Baby,” Gelila and Ortiz wanted “to create a space for polarity,” according to People.
“We wanted to sort of give it a chance for [Emmitt] to explain what happened [during Tyler’s childhood],” Gelila said. “It could go in two different directions — either he might not remember it and just deny it, or he is going to be regretful and sorry, and sort of say his piece and just have a conversation. But naturally, it just ended up being that way.”
Emmitt Perry Sr.’s hostile reaction, although unpleasant, was something that “really made us understand the severity of what happened to Tyler,” Gelila added. “If this man [has] this rage at 80 plus years old, I can’t imagine how it was when he was 40, around that age with young Tyler.”
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