Tyler Perry has played the character of Mabel "Madea" Simmons for nearly two decades, but the actor and director has revealed he's done. In a recent interview, Perry confirmed that 2019 will be the last year of Madea. He'll be taking the character on the road for a live tour, as well as releasing one final film, but once those things are done, Madea is finished, and Perry isn't even sad about it, saying...
I'm happy to kill that old bitch, I'm tired, man... I just don't want to be her age, playing her.
The character of Madea was created by Tyler Perry for the play I Can Do Bad All By Myself which debuted in 1999. Perry's film of the same name shares a title, but little else. Since then, the character has made the jump from the stage, to home video (recorded versions of the plays) and then eventually the big screen, which started with theatrical adaptations of the plays. Eight films have been produced so far, and one more is on the way, but that will be the last Madea movie.
Interestingly, Tyler Perry revealed in an interview on SiriusXM's Radio Andy show that the new movie, Tyler Perry's A Madea Family Funeral has actually been done for two years. However, if it had been released when completed, it would have made four consecutive Madea movies for Perry with no breaks, and that was too much even for him. The movie sat on a shelf while Perry worked on the drama Acrimony as well as the upcoming comedy Nobody's Fool.
While Tyler Perry is clearly more than happy to be done with Madea, he's apparently going to see the character off right. In addition to the movie, he'll be going on the road giving Madea a sort of farewell tour so that all those who enjoy her can say goodbye.
And while the Madea movies are often given a hard time, and are frequently savaged by critics, there clearly is an audience for the films. The eight current Madea movies have grossed a half-billion dollars combined around the world. Say what you want about a guy dressing up like an old woman, but there are people who love these movies.
You can check out Tyler Perry's full comments about the end of Madea in the video below.
Tyler Perry has been branching out making other, non-Madea, movies in recent years, so he'll almost certainly be just fine doing other things. Still, for good or ill, it's the end of era. For those who will want to say goodbye, Tyer Perry's A Madea Family Funeral arrives in theaters March 1. I suppose it's fitting, a funeral is as good a place as any to say final farewells.
