‘Maxine’s Baby’ Explores Tyler Perry’s Identity Down To The Core

Written by Vocalo Radio on December 11, 2023

Film critic Reggie “The Reel Critic” Ponder sat down with co-directors Gelila Bekele and Armani Ortiz to discuss Maxine’s Baby: The Tyler Perry Story.

The new documentary follows the life and origin story of actor and filmmaker Tyler Perry, uncovering his beginnings in New Orleans, and centers around his mother, Willie Maxine Perry. Reggie Ponder spoke with the film’s co-directors, Gelila Bekele and Armani Ortiz, to break down the importance of exploring Perry’s beginnings, and his identity at a core level.

“This isn’t a story just about a mogul,” Bekele explained. “It’s about who we are innately as human beings… everything we do, including creativity, stems from something.”

The documentary has been in production for the past decade, allowing the directors to get to know Perry on a deeper and more vulnerable level. It features appearances from Ozzie Areu, Whoopi Goldberg, Ari Emanuel and more. Maxine’s Baby: The Tyler Perry Story is currently streaming on Prime Video.

Reggie Ponder: I’m Reggie Ponder, the Reel Critic. I got a chance to speak with Gelila Bekele and Armani Ortiz about their film, Maxine’s Baby: The Tyler Perry Story. Here’s an excerpt from that interview.

Everybody knows Tyler Perry, why do we need a documentary on Tyler Perry? We know who he is!

Armani Ortiz: I think that’s the beautiful thing about this documentary. Even with fans that have been with him all these years, you’re gonna find something very new. We go very deep. We’ve been able to be with him for the last 10 years, so we were able to gain that trust, that vulnerability, so that he could tell these types of personal stories and really get to know him on a new level.

Gelila Bekele: People like Tyler who’ve achieved so much, we sort of celebrate the accolade and the end result, but we never get to see what it took to get there. For us, the reason was the core, where everything stems from, and who this man is at the core level.

RP: It’s really interesting you say the core, because it is titled Maxine’s Baby. I’ve heard you talk about how she really is the core of this film. Can you speak to that?

GB: I mean, I think his story is so rich, where he comes from, and the influence of New Orleans, the celebration of rituals of life. But also, he endured a lot of childhood trauma, domestic abuse and his mother sort of endured all that with him. She’s also the source of love. Not to start from there wouldn’t have been right. And again, this isn’t a story just about a mogul. It’s about who we are, innately as human beings, and where everything we do, including creativity, stems from something. Usually there’s an origin.

RP: When you talk about entrepreneurship, Tyler is the ultimate entrepreneur. Talk about why that part of entrepreneurship is really important for this audience to see.

GB: I know, in our generation right now and the younger generation, I think success is glorified in a different mirror. I think the end result of cutting corners and wanting to be famous and rich quickly and fast. But I think this one really reveals what it truly means to create something that’s lasting. This man started his ownership and entrepreneurship practice in the ’90s. And again, there was no deal before that. This is custom to him. This is his formula, 90-10. We talk about it lightly right now, but a Black man with no connections in Hollywood, who came from his background, in creating a formula that made it possible for other TV shows, like “Two and a Half Men” that came after him. There’s plenty others, but he’s the one who sort of paved the way.

We look at Fort McPherson, where it is physically in Atlanta, it’s in a community that has been forgotten. If all fails, let’s not even mention the economic contribution to the city and to the community, but also Black and brown kids looking at him. Seeing someone tangible, right there, who is in and out every day. What that means, that’s a visual metaphor, equity, that, I think, is really important.

^{Tyler Perry arrives at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party in Beverly Hills, Calif., on March 27, 2022. Perry is donating $2.75 million to older homeowners in Atlanta to help ensure they are able to stay in their homes.}*^{(Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)}*

RP: Here, you guys say, “Let’s include the critics.” That’s really interesting, because even in the film, he talks about, “I don’t care.”

AO: No, I think that, as filmmakers, we really wanted to give that sense of transparency for each side. You guys have such an amazing part of the journey, of everything. Because, even through the criticisms, we’re able to see, in contrast, why fans love him so much. It was very important for us to allow everyone to tell their truth, and not just focus on the successes, not just focus on the people that love him, but rather try to understand where critics were coming from, as well.

GB: Yeah, I think Armani said it all. I think the space of polarity is important. In order for us to tell the full story, you have to include the other side, the opposing side. It also brought us closer in understanding why his work resonates so much with his fans, and also making sure that the critics’ voice was also heard

RP: Maxine’s Baby: A Tyler Perry Story is currently streaming on Prime Video to hear more from my interview, and we got into a lot of stuff, you can go to Reggieponder.com.