Tyler Perry Opens Up About Firing His Aunt and Setting Financial Boundaries with Family

Billionaire filmmaker and media mogul Tyler Perry is known for creating opportunities, but when it comes to family, he says tough love is sometimes the best kind.

Speaking on a recent episode of Den of Kings, a podcast hosted by gospel icon Kirk Franklin, Perry opened up about the challenges of navigating financial expectations from relatives. Joined by rapper Jeezy and Big Dave’s Cheesesteaks founder Derrick Hayes, the Madea creator recalled how he had to fire a family member who had taken advantage of his generosity.

“I fired my aunt,” Perry admitted. “She said she wanted a job. She would always call asking for money.” Hoping to provide a more sustainable solution, Perry offered her a position. But when she began skipping work and calling in frequently, he was forced to take action.

“You want me to hand you the money, but you don’t want to work for it. See, that doesn’t work for me,” he said.

Perry, who has long emphasized self-reliance and discipline, explained that enabling family members financially without accountability can do more harm than good.

“That is the worst thing you can do,” he said. “It handicaps people.”

Tyler Perry says he fired his aunt after giving her a job because she kept calling in and not showing up—and reveals one family member got mad when he refused to give him a million dollars. pic.twitter.com/Qg8KV9oVzg

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He also revealed that after his mother passed away in 2009, he made the difficult decision to cut off long-term financial support to other relatives, fulfilling a request she had made before her death.

“I sent all of them letters saying, ‘Listen, you’ve got 60 days to become gainfully employed because I’m not going to keep supporting you like this,’” Tyler Perry said. “They all got jobs. It wasn’t about the money—it was about helping them reclaim their dignity.”

The Tyler Perry Studios founder also instils the same values in his 10-year-old son, who earns money through household chores. It’s part of Perry’s broader philosophy: that hard work and purpose are more empowering than handouts.

Derrick Hayes, who appeared alongside Tyler Perry in the episode, echoed the sentiment, reflecting on the importance of ownership and long-term thinking. Hayes shared how three of his earliest employees now hold equity in Big Dave’s Cheesesteaks, a growing franchise with national recognition.

“My legacy isn’t just mine—it’s theirs, too,” Hayes said. “I didn’t want to just have a product. I wanted to run the machine.”