Tyler Perry’s Mother Dies

By Amanda Pendolino on December 9th, 2009

tyler-perry-mom-1 Super-producer Tyler Perry has announced that his mother has passed away, the Associated Press reports.Willie Maxine Perry was 64, and one of many women in Tyler’s life that inspired the larger-than-life character Madea in his plays and films.

Tyler wrote the sad news today on his website, where he thanked fans for their prayers. He did not say where his mother died or anything about the cause.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution said Maxine Perry was a preschool teacher who worked at the New Orleans Jewish Community Center for most of her life.

Back in October, 60 Minutes did a profile on the wildly successful actor-writer-director-producer, and he spoke about how his mother influenced him. “Madea is a cross between my mother and my aunt. She’s the type of grandmother that was on every corner when I was growing up,” Tyler said. “She smoked. She walked out of the house with her curlers and her muumuu and she watched everybody’s kids. She didn’t take no crap. She’s a strong figure where I come from. In my part of the African-American community. And I say that because I’m sure that there are some other parts of the African-American community that may be looking at me now going, ‘Who does he think he’s speaking of?’ But, for me, this woman was very, very visible.”