Tyler Perry On Career Highs And Lows, Emotional Well-Being And The Power Of Love In ‘A Jazzman’s Blues’

Tyler Perry’s new Netflix film, A Jazzman’s Blues, has been nearly three decades in the making. Based on a tale of forbidden love, the film also dives into the dynamics of the power of community, family, and music. As a wearer of many hats and with so many varying projects in the works, one may wonder how the multifaceted director, actor, producer, and writer maintains his mental and emotional well-being, especially when faced with challenges. 

The answer is quite simple, he attributes his loyal fan base, career longevity, and Hollywood success to his unwavering faith and showcasing a never-ending sense of gratitude. Ahead of the film’s premiere, NEW YOU caught up with the 53-year-old filmmaker to talk about fatherhood, his healing journey, inner peace, his ever-changing relationship with critics, and much more. 

NEW YOU: What do you hope to capture in the minds of audiences after watching A Jazzman’s Blues?

Tyler Perry: If I can get people to be curious about the history of what Black people have gone through and during Jim Crow, what we’ve endured, and somebody starts to research, then I’ve accomplished what I wanted to in that sense because the timing of this was so important. 

There’s a reimagining of the pain we endured, and there’s a banning of books and stories and people not wanting the truth to be told. So if A Jazzman Blues encourages curiosity, then I’ve done exactly what I wanted to do.

NY: In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, you spoke about how casting for the film proved to be a challenge “because of your not-so-great relationship with the critics.” In the face of adversity, what do you do to reignite your spirit and maintain your mental and emotional well-being? 

TP: Well, it’s always been prayer and faith 100%. Also, being graced with an audience who has endured and stood with me from the beginning can help you overcome many things like my audience has. I get emotional thinking about everything they have stood with me through as I learned, messed up, and became better. In film and TV, they were always there. To have that kind of undying support is amazing.

NY: A couple of days ago, you posted on your Instagram page that you “started your day in gratitude and prayer.” So right now, in this very moment, what are you grateful for?

TP: Are you kidding me? Every little thing. To wake up in the morning, open the curtains to see the sunrise, and know that I’ve got another day on this planet, another day to spend with my son, who’s seven years old, and watching him discover the joys of life—all in all, everything. I’m grateful for everything.

NY: Sometimes, it takes people a lifetime to appreciate the small things we take for granted, such as waking up each day, seeing the sunrise, and having breath in your body.  

TP: How you do one thing is how you do all things. If you’re not grateful for the little things, I don’t see how you can be grateful for the bigger things.

NY: Absolutely! Now, there were many parallels in the film you’ve personally experienced and opened up about. Experiencing those circumstances and situations at such an early age, what were some of the necessary steps you took to establish inner peace and heal that wounded inner child? 

TP: I think that didn’t come later until adulthood when I started writing. Writing was a catharsis for me, and it was also very much how I got to what was wrong because every time I write a character, I find I’d ask, “What is the motivation why this character did that?” 

So I started asking those questions of my own life, like, “Why are you behaving this way?” “What is the motivation?” And I was able to track down a lot of pains in my past, exercise them, and pull them out so that I could move forward. It was a lot of work that still goes on today.

NY: Definitely, healing is a never-ending journey. Now the screenplay for this film was the first one you ever wrote almost 30 years ago. Looking at your career trajectory, you have so many life lessons from setbacks, challenges, and maintaining your faith. So what’s the most important lesson you’ve learned so far?

TP: To trust, be honest with myself, forgive, and move on. I don’t lie to myself and I don’t lie to God. All those things are all lessons, and I don’t know if one is more important than the other because they all work together. 

NY: Lastly, if you could give one piece of advice to someone starting out on a quest to follow their passion, what would that be?  

TP: Make sure it’s your passion. Make sure your passion isn’t something you change every day or that you just woke up and thought about last week. And then next week you want to do something else. You have to identify it as the thing that doesn’t let you sleep at night until you get it done. That’s passion.

Check out more interviews from A Jazzman’s Blues

NEW YOU Exclusive Interview with Solea Pfeiffer and Joshua Boone of A Jazzman’s Blues

Main Image Credit: Jace Downs/NETFLIX

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