Tyler Perry’s Mom Passed Away

Tyler Perry is mourning.

On Wednesday, the filmmaker announced the death of his mother, Willie Maxine Perry. Mama Maxine passed away at the age of 64, less than two months after Perry informed his fans that he was taking some time off to be closer to his ailing mom.

The 40-year-old actor/director wrote a brief message on his website about his mom’s Tuesday death, and also thanked the fans for all the prayers. The cause of death was not known, and no further details were given.

Perry had said that his mother helped inspire the character Madea, a sharp-tongued, iron-willed Southern matriarch played by himself in a padded suit and wig. In a 2006 interview for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Perry said that Madea was a combination of his mother and his aunt. “My mother is the wisdom of Madea, but my aunt Mayola, that’s her wig, that’s her voice, that’s her gun in the purse,” he said.

Madea had appeared in a series of plays and then hit movies including Diary of a Mad Black Woman, Madea’s Family Reunion, and earlier this year, Madea Goes to Jail. The film opened No 1. at U.S. box offices and went on to gross $90.5 million.

We’re sorry for your loss, Tyler. Be strong!

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