Loni Love Calls Out Tyler Perry: Let’s Talk About It
So, Loni Love has been making waves on Twitter recently, calling out Tyler Perry over his reluctance to hire Black writers and directors for his movies. And honestly, she’s voicing something a lot of people have been thinking for a while.
Tyler Perry’s new movie, Divorce In The Black, received a shocking 0% Rotten Tomatoes score. A 0% Rotten Tomatoes score is very rare, it’s rare for a movie to be that awful, and it shows that Tyler Perry’s solo approach might not be cutting it anymore. Fans and critics alike have noted the repetitive themes and lack of depth in his characters, and many believe a collaborative effort could drastically improve the quality of his work (Black Enterprise).
And Loni’s tweets have sparked a much-needed conversation about diversity behind the camera. We all know Tyler Perry is a powerhouse. His success is undeniable—he’s built an empire with Tyler Perry Studios and brought numerous Black stories to mainstream media. But here’s the tea: he’s been doing a lot of it solo, and that’s becoming a problem for some viewers and others in the entertainment industry.
Tyler has long been known for his intense work ethic, often boasting about writing, directing, and producing his projects without a traditional writers’ room. While that’s impressive, it also means he’s been limiting opportunities for other Black creatives to shine. Loni Love didn’t mince words when she pointed this out, and many fans and industry folks are backing her up.
Let’s compare Perry’s work to someone like Christian Keyes, who has written several seasons of “All The Queen’s Men.” When Christian Keyes seemed to call out Tyler Perry over harassment issues, their was not only speculation on social media that he was referring to Tyler Perry, but there was also a secondary conversation about how much better ATQ men is when Christian Keyes is the writer, not Tyler Perry.
Christian Keyes appears to create richer, more nuanced characters and storylines that resonate more deeply with audiences. That’s something Perry’s one-man-show style has been missing. Critics have often pointed out that Perry’s characters can come off as one-dimensional, which is where having multiple writers can make a huge difference.
Loni Love’s tweets have reignited the debate about Tyler Perry’s solo writing. And IMO she’s not throwing shade; she’s highlighting a systemic issue in Hollywood, and that’s the exclusion of Black writers and directors, even when the cast is Black. By keeping the creative process solo, Tyler Perry isn’t just overworking himself—he’s adding to the exclusion of Black writers and directors in Hollywood. Generally speaking, more diverse voices means more perspectives, and that leads to better storytelling.
Tyler Perry, for his part, recently admitted he’s started to see the light, acknowledging the need to bring in new voices and fresh talent. He’s talking about hiring more writers and directors, which is a step in the right direction. Perry’s studio president, Michelle Sneed, even mentioned that they’re excited to promote new talent and give them a platform both in front of and behind the camera. So hopefully Tyler Perry actually holds true to his words with his next movies and actually hires Black writers and directors.
