Tyler Perry became a billionaire telling stories about marriage. Now he says he won't marry because ‘divorce destroys fortunes’

Billionaire filmmaker Tyler Perry says he has no plans to get married, despite building a huge entertainment career telling stories about marriage, relationships and family.

Perry made the revelation during an appearance on The Jennifer Hudson Show, where he was asked whether he ever wanted to get married. His response was brief: “Nope.”

Explaining his reasoning, Perry said marriage itself is not what concerns him. Instead, he is worried about what can happen financially if a marriage ends in divorce.


“It's not the marriage that bothers me, it's the divorce,” Perry said. “Everybody that I know that did well and went broke, it was because of a divorce. So I'm good just being free.”

The comment is particularly striking because marriage has been a recurring theme throughout Perry's career. He wrote and directed Why Did I Get Married? in 2007 and its 2010 sequel, Why Did I Get Married Too? The latest instalment, Why Did I Get Married Again?, is now streaming on Netflix.

Tyler Perry net worth and how he became a billionaire

Perry's fortune has grown far beyond his early work in live theatre. Forbes estimates his net worth at $1.4 billion.

Much of that wealth comes from a business model that allowed Perry to retain ownership of his creative work. According to Forbes, his fortune comes from both his producer's share and a content library stretching back to the early 1990s. Perry owns 100% of the content he has created.

Perry began his career in live theatre in the 1990s, initially struggling to attract audiences. After years of financial difficulties and performances in near-empty theatres, his plays eventually became successful and helped establish the foundation for his film and television career.

He later expanded into Hollywood, becoming a writer, director, actor and producer. His best-known creation, Madea, became a major film franchise that has grossed more than $660 million.

Tyler Perry Studios and his Hollywood empire

Perry's business expanded further with the launch of Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta in 2019.

The studio occupies a 330-acre property and includes 12 sound stages as well as custom-built sets, including a full-scale White House set. The facility was developed on the site of a former military base.

Perry's control over his intellectual property has been central to his rise in Hollywood. After seven years of producing content for Oprah Winfrey's OWN network, he reached a deal with Viacom in 2019 that included a 25% stake in the streaming service BET+.

His approach has allowed him to benefit not only from acting, directing and producing fees but also from the long-term value of the content he owns.

From homelessness to billionaire status

Perry's current wealth is a sharp contrast to his early struggles. He has spoken about being homeless in his twenties and spending years staging plays that attracted few people. His breakthrough eventually came after years of persistence, turning his theatre productions into a much larger entertainment business.

Perry has also repeatedly credited ownership of his work as a key reason he was able to build substantial wealth. Rather than simply accepting upfront fees, retaining his rights allowed him to continue benefiting from his creations.

Perry turned 57 on September 13, adding another milestone to a career that has taken him from struggling theatre producer to one of the world's wealthiest entertainers. And while marriage has provided plenty of material for his stories, Perry says he would rather keep his personal life—and his fortune—on his own terms.