You may think you know everything about Tyler Perry’s inspiring rise to success, but think again. The media mogul, who recently tried to bid on BET, is baring it all in his upcoming documentary, titled Maxine’s Baby: The Tyler Perry Story. Viewers are promised an unfiltered foray into the ups and downs that have shaped the billionaire and his media empire. However, from the looks of the emotionally gripping trailer, the story is not for the faint of heart.
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What To Expect From Maxine’s Baby: The Tyler Perry Story
Tyler Perry has often been open about his tumultuous upbringing. However, he’s offering fans and onlookers an even closer glimpse into his rollercoaster childhood. The documentary is set to tell Perry’s life story, from his childhood up until his present success. Many notable personalities and important figures in his life are also seen in the trailer, each providing some input on their personal relationships with him.
Moreover, Maxine’s Baby will tell the story of Perry’s relationship with his mother. With her support, the star was able to rise above many of the adversities that presented themselves. The documentary’s intimate feel is evidently a conscious decision, used in order to reel the viewers into a tale of love, heartbreak, failures, and success. As heard in the trailer, and still unknown to many, Perry was born Emmitt Perry Jr. However, he changed his name to Tyler to dissociate from all the overwhelming abuse he suffered at the hands of his father.
“I just could not understand how this man could look at me and hate me with such passion,” Perry said. He has also been open in the past about how his father constantly mistreated him. However, it is unknown whether the documentary will dive into Perry eventually finding out that Emmitt Sr. was not, in fact, his biological father. Nonetheless, his harrowing family dynamic will evidently be touched upon.
Beyond His Personal Life
Although the documentary will focus on the personal life of Tyler Perry, it will also cover his struggle to become a gargantuan producer, writer, and actor in Hollywood. “I had all these people tell me what I would never be. Nobody said what I could be,” he said. He has since become one of the most famous men on the planet, with a large empire on his back. However, the road was not easy. Through his hard work, dedication, faith, and determination to shed off his past, he has worked his way to the very top.
The documentary will also touch on Perry’s unwavering attitude despite the critical reception of many of his projects. “What I will not do is change because some critics think it’s not art,” he said. A lot of his works have, over the years, received considerable flack off of accusations of showing Black people in a negative light. However, Tyler Perry has said in the past that his stories are real stories that need to be told. On the flip side, many continue to shower praises on him for sharing difficult stories that have long affected the Black community.
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Maxine's Baby: Notable Names And Faces
Maxine’s Baby: The Tyler Perry Story is directed by Gelila Bekele and Armani Ortiz. Perry and Bekele share a son from their previous romantic relationship, which ended in 2020. Ortiz, on the other hand, is somewhat of a protégé to Perry who has worked with him on numerous occasions. It is due to these two long-term relationships that an explicit view of Perry’s older years has been captured authentically.
Bekele and Ortiz will also appear in the documentary -- not just behind the scenes. Furthermore, he and Bekele’s son will also make a few appearances. Besides these names, Perry’s longtime friends and confidants Oprah Winfrey and Gayle King will cameo in the doc., along with Perry’s pastor, Bishop T.D. Jakes, who is also seen in the trailer. Rounding out the prominent faces is, of course, Perry’s mother, Willie Maxine Perry.
Release Date And Where To Stream The Tyler Perry Story
On October 27, Maxine’s Baby: The Tyler Perry Story will officially premiere at the 2023 AFI Fest in Hollywood. It will then be available to stream on Prime Video from November 17. The official synopsis reads that the upcoming film “is a tender and intimate portrait of visionary and innovator Tyler Perry and his harrowing-but-faithful road to the top of an industry that didn’t always include him." From the looks of the trailer, viewers can expect this and much more.
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