Tyler Perry Is Developing a Madea Origin Story ‘Mabel’
In just a few short years, Tyler Perry has built an entertainment empire. From a slew of films, plays, and TV shows, the billionaire studio owner has captured audiences from across the world and enamored them with stories that depict a slice of Black American life.
The origins of the New Orleans-born actor/writer/producer/director’s stories mostly come from one character, Madea. Though Perry has previously retired Madea from the big screen, it looks like she’s going to be reimagined in a new origin story that is set to come to life in a TV series on Showtime.
Tyler Perry | Nathan Congleton/NBC/NBCU Photo BankWho is Tyler Perry’s Madea character based on?
Perry has always spoken about the women who raised him being his inspiration for his Madea character. The 51-year-old originally created the character in 2000 for his play, I Can Do Bad All by Myself, which was eventually turned into a movie starring Taraji P. Henson.
Since the beginning, Perry has portrayed the character dressing in drag for all of her play and movie appearances. Madea is a gun-touting, non-nonsense grandmother who isn’t afraid to tell it like it is. Though her given name is Mabel Simmons, the rambunctious elderly woman’s name comes from a contraction of the title, “Mother Dear.”
Tell us what Madea really means to you! #Madea #TheRealOG pic.twitter.com/AJ7192XZwp
— Madea (@madea) December 4, 2020
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How many Madea movies does Tyler Perry have?
Since her first appearance in the 2000 play I Can Do Bad All by Myself, Madea has appeared in 10 different Tyler Perry films. She was originally introduced on-screen in his debut feature film, Diary of A Mad Black Woman, the only film Perry has not directed. In the movie, Kimberly Elise stars as Madea’s abused granddaughter who is leaving her abusive husband.
Madea’s final film performance, A Madea Family Funeral, which debuted in 2019, is full of Madea’s quippy and thrilling one-liners and focuses on cheating and sudden death. In between these two films, the signature character also appeared in Madea’s Family Reunion, I Can Do Bad All By Myself, Madea Goes to Jail, Madea’s Big Happy Family, Madea’s Witness Protection, A Madea Christmas, Boo! A Madea Halloween and Boo 2! A Madea Halloween.
Madea Prequel Series in Development at Showtime From Tyler Perry …
Source:: Showbiz Cheat Sheet
