Hollywood Ignored Tyler Perry, So He Built His Own Empire

Film studio employees aren’t easily impressed by celebrities. Yet a giddy moment transpired for the staff at Tyler Perry Studios when Eddie Murphy, Will Smith, Martin Lawrence and Wesley Snipes all found one another on the lot in Atlanta on the same day a few years ago.

“Eddie, come out here, you can’t hide!” Smith yelled outside a trailer. When Murphy emerged he was met by Smith and Lawrence, who were there to shoot a sequel in their Bad Boys film franchise, and by Snipes, who was working with Murphy on Coming 2 America. The four stars exchanged hugs…

Perry has helped turn the city into a major hub for film and TV production. On busy days as many as 5,000 people work inside his studio complex, located on a former Army base in an historically Black neighborhood. The 367-acre facility has massive soundstages, rolling country meadows and a huge array of permanent sets, including strip malls, suburban mansions and even a replica of the White House. Next door, Perry is planning an entertainment complex, including restaurants, retail, a museum, studio tours and a theater that can seat more than 3,000 people. He plans to take the stage there himself when it opens in four years or so, possibly with a one-man show…

See more at Bloomberg.