American actor, playwright, director and entrepreneur, Tyler Perry, like many successful black people, started his journey from a humble beginning. He grew up in a poor home and had an abusive father. At a point, Perry had to make a home in his car; however, he is a celebrity billionaire today.
In 2020, the veteran Hollywood filmmaker and business mogul became a new member of the “billionaires club” with a net worth of $1 billion. One of the contributory factors to Perry’s success and rise on the financial ladder is credited to his exclusive 100% ownership of his works.
This includes over 1,200 television episodes, 22 movies, at least 24 stage plays, as well as his 330-acre multifaceted Atlanta studio that he officially opened in 2019. All of Perry’s films, which he also fully owns the have also grossed almost $1 billion in revenue.
“I love when people say you come from ‘humble beginnings,’” Perry told Forbes. “[It] means you were poor as hell.” It also makes success sweeter, he added. “Ownership, changes everything.”
Per a breakdown of his fortune done by Forbes, Perry earned $300 million in cash and investments, $320 million from his catalog of movies, shows, plays, etc, $280 million for his 330-acre Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta, $60 million for his BET+ equity stake and $40 million in homes and toys.
The bulk of his earnings come from his acting and other related businesses. Below are some businesses owned by the actor and entrepreneur.
Tyler Perry Studios
In 2019, Tyler Perry opened one of the largest privately owned motion-picture studios in Atlanta, Georgia. The facility sits on 330 acres of land and has 12 fully furnished sound stages for movie productions. He reportedly committed $250 million into the studio construction. The made him a major real estate investor in Atlanta.
Stake in Black Entertainment Television (BET)
Tyler Perry has a minority stake in BET’s streaming platform, BET+. His shows like “Sistas,” “The Oval,” and “House of Payne,” among others, all air on the black-owned channel.
BET was founded by Robert Johnson in 1980 with backing from cable mogul, John Malone. It became the first TV in the US to target black viewers, however, in 2000, BET was acquired by Paramount Global 2000 for $2.3 billion in stock and the assumption of $570 million in debt.
Tyler Perry Collection clothing line
Tyler Perry owns a clothing line he named after himself. The fashion brand designs a wide range of products, including men and women’s apparel, shoes, and accessories. According to the South China Morning Post, he sells them through his website and various retail outlets such as department stores, specialty shops, and online platforms. The platform adds that the movie director has earned about $20 million from his clothing collection.
Tyler Perry Wines
According to the South China Morning Post, Tyler also owns a wine brand. He owns Tyler Perry Wines and reportedly made $6 million. “Tyler Perry Wines is a wine brand he created as a small leisure business out of his love for wine,” the platform noted.