Key Takeaways
- Tyler Perry plans to move to Puerto Rico with his 11-year-old son in early 2027 and “pull back a whole lot” from work to spend more time with him.
- His decision follows the Netflix release of Why Did I Get Married Again?, which stars Taraji P. Henson, Tasha Smith, and Sharon Leal and was filmed in just four days.
- Perry, 57, said aging shaped his desire to slow down, though he ruled out marriage for himself, saying, “At this age, no, that’s not a good idea for me.”
Tyler Perry is preparing to make a major personal and professional change.
Fresh off the release of Why Did I Get Married Again?, the filmmaker revealed that he plans to move to Puerto Rico with his 11-year-old son, Aman, in early 2027—and significantly reduce his workload after years of maintaining one of Hollywood's most prolific production schedules.
"Yep, moving to Puerto Rico at the top of the year, and I'm pulling back a whole lot," Perry told Justin Sylvester during a Sept. 14 appearance on Today with Jenna & Sheinelle.
Perry, who recently turned 57, said getting older played a role in the decision. His son, whom he shares with ex-girlfriend Gelila Bekele, is also at the center of what he wants his next chapter to look like.
"It's time to slow down a bit, enjoy more time with my son and just take it all in," Perry said.
The announcement arrives just days after Why Did I Get Married Again? premiered on Netflix on September 9, bringing Perry back together with several stars from the franchise he launched nearly two decades ago. Tasha Smith, Sharon Leal, Michael Jai White, Lamman Rucker, Jill Scott and Richard T. Jones returned, while Taraji P. Henson joined the ensemble.
The movie also offered a particularly vivid example of the production pace Perry now says he intends to pull back from.
During a recent BlackTree TV interview, Henson, Smith and Leal revealed that Why Did I Get Married Again? was filmed in just four days. Smith called the schedule "refined insanity," while Henson said Perry's highly specific approach allows him to move at a speed that initially took some getting used to.
"He knows what he wants. And he's a technician at what he does," Henson said. "He knows exactly what's going on. He knows exactly what he has, what he doesn't have."
Perry wasn't exactly operating under ideal circumstances, either. He previously revealed that he broke his collarbone in a bike accident two weeks before production started. While simultaneously acting and directing—including overseeing a large dance sequence—he repeatedly warned the cast to "watch my shoulder." The line became enough of an on-set refrain that the cast named their group chat after it.
Why Did I Get Married Again? continues the story Perry began with 2007's Why Did I Get Married? and its 2010 sequel. The latest installment follows the longtime friend group to Lake Como, Italy, for the wedding of Marcus and Angela's daughter, with their now-grown children forcing the couples to confront how their own relationships have evolved.
Perry described the film as a look at how people "grow, change, mature and settle into what marriage is," but his own plans don't include walking down the aisle. Asked about marriage during his latest interview, Perry answered, "At this age, no, that's not a good idea for me."
