by Jeroslyn JoVonn
December 8, 2024
The stars came out to celebrate Tyler Perry being welcomed to the Paley Honors Tribute Gala.
Oprah Winfrey, Meghan Markle and Kerry Washington were among the many A-listers who attended the Paley Honors Tribute Gala on Wednesday to celebrate Tyler Perry's recognition.
The versatile entertainer and media mogul was honored at the Paley Center for Media's annual fall gala for his remarkable achievements over the past two decades as an actor, writer, director, producer, philanthropist and owner of the 330-acre Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta, Variety Reports. Winfrey gave Perry a passionate greeting to kick off the evening and celebrate her “big little brother.”
“I'm just happy to be here tonight – and I really mean it, because I don't like going out – but I'm out tonight because I can talk about my big little brother,” she began.
“He is a giant among men. Not only what can be seen from his height of 1.80 m, he is also a huge soul. He has a mighty spirit guided by a divine hand.”
Winfrey praised Perry's ability to “create art that makes people realize they matter.” Her words were supported by an elite group of guests that included Hollywood producer Nicole Avant, Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos, veteran entertainment executive Debra L. Lee, ADebbie Allen, LaTanya Richardson Jackson, Cookie Johnson, Tina Knowles, Ebony Obsidian, Tika Sumpter and Diane belonged to Warren, Yvette Nicole Brown, among others.
Sitting next to his friends Duchess Meghan Markle and actress Kerry Washington (host of the evening), Perry was touched as he listened to Winfrey sing his praises.
“Most people look at the news and think, 'Oh, what a shame,'” Winfrey said. “Tyler looks on and says, 'What can I do now to make a difference?'”
Washington credited Perry with helping her get her career back on track when it reached a stagnant point and she considered retiring from acting after achieving her personal goal of appearing on Broadway. But Perry had other plans as he offered her a role in For Colored Girls and motivated her to continue acting on screen.
“Tyler encouraged me to dream a bigger dream for myself, to go further, to dream that there was something out there for me beyond what I imagined,” she shared. “He invited me into a world with my colleagues and my heroes and told me that I belonged, and that changed the course of my career.”
Perry accepted his award from Avant and Sarandos before taking the stage to give a heartfelt 10-minute speech. He shared how challenging this time of year is for him as it marks the anniversary of his mother Maxine Perry's death. Perry also spoke about his childhood traumas, recounting his experiences witnessing his father abuse his mother, endure sexual abuse, be racially profiled by police, and a teacher kill his hamster under the guise of a science experiment.
“Just the fact that I can stand here today – and that this little boy who didn't have the tools that I have as a man did it – I think is enough to allow me to celebrate,” said Perry.
“At 55, I am the freest version of myself I have ever been. I turned to all that pain, spread my arms wide, embraced it in every way, stared at the shame, sank into it, and took the strength out so I could heal. And I challenge each and every one of you to do the same.”
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