Tyler Perry is one of the hardest working people in Hollywood. From creating, writing, producing and directing multiple TV shows at once to the grand ways in which he gives back to his fans, it’s incredible that one man is able to accomplish so much. And while he may often feel ignored by Hollywood, Tyler Perry is adored by his cast. In particular, the stars of one of his latest series, BET's Sistas, have shared why they like working with him so much.
KJ Smith, one of the leads on Sistas, previously worked with Tyler Perry on A Madea Family Funeral. I recently sat down with the actress, and she opened up about how freeing it is to work with him. In her own words,
It’s freeing. It really is. Because there is an underlying understanding in our culture, and a lot of things don’t necessarily have to be explained. It’s nice to not jump through hoops to be understood, you know? It’s like if I say something, I’m not tip-toeing on my words. It’s like this person automatically understands me in most cases. And it’s still professional, but there’s not like 'I hope [that you understand me]' it’s like, you get it. There’s an underlying understanding. So it’s freeing. It’s a very free experience when your producer and writer and the studio owner is someone who looks like you.
Many in the entertainment space have discussed the importance of representation in the media for viewers of color and marginalized communities. KJ Smith made it clear this representation just as important in the workplace.
Mignon Von, another lead on Sistas, echoed KJ Smith’s words, describing working in an environment where no one has to be the only Black person in the room as “Heaven." Expanding on her experience working with Tyler Perry, Mignon Von said:
I probably ad-lib the most because of my character being comedic, and you know, Tyler Perry’s a comedic genius so he really loves for his comedic folk to have fun with it. He’ll get us back on track so we can actually stay on the script, but he’ll let us run wild, and whatever he wants to keep he’ll keep. Otherwise, he’ll let it go to the cutting room floor, but [we get to ad-lib] a lot.
Sistas may be a comedy-drama, but Mignon’s character Danni keeps those laughs coming in every single scene she appears in. It’s easy to tell when watching that the cast, while dedicated to their craft, had a great time making this show. Since he seems to always have multiple projects in the works simultaneously, it’s cool to know that Tyler Perry still takes the time to allow his team to play and try new things to create the absolute best scene for the show.
Season 2 of Sistas is currently airing Wednesday nights on BET, and you can catch up on the BET NOW app. If you’re looking for more laughs, check out these options on Netflix, or if you’re more into the dramatic side, Tyler Perry’s Fatal Affair has all the drama and then some.
