Kathy Ann Najimy is an American actress and activist. She was first nationally known for her feminist play The Kathy and Mo Show, which she wrote and performed with Mo Gaffney. On film, she is best known for her roles in Soapdish (1991), Sister Act (1992) and its sequel (1993), Hocus Pocus (1993) and its sequel (2022), Hope Floats (1998), The Wedding Planner (2001), Rat Race (2001), WALL-E (2008), Step Up 3D (2010), The Guilt Trip (2012), Tyler Perry's A Madea Christmas (2013), A Christmas Melody (2015), Dumplin' (2018), Music (2021), and Single All the Way (2021). On television, she is best known for her portrayal of Olive Massery on the NBC sitcom Veronica's Closet (1997–2000) and for voicing Peggy Hill on the animated television series King of the Hill (1997–2010).
Kim Fields-Morgan is an American actress and director. She first gained fame as a child actress on the television series Good Times (1978–1979), and rose to greater prominence for her role as Dorothy "Tootie" Ramsey in the NBC sitcom Diff'rent Strokes (1979–1981), as well as its spin-off The Facts of Life (1979–1988).
Tyler Perry is an American actor, filmmaker, and playwright. He is the creator and performer of Mabel "Madea" Simmons, a tough elderly woman, and also portrays her brother Joe Simmons and her nephew Brian Simmons. Perry's films vary in style from orthodox filmmaking techniques to filmed productions of live stage plays, many of which have been subsequently adapted into feature films. Madea's first appearance was in Perry's play I Can Do Bad All by Myself (1999) staged in Chicago.
Euphemia LatiQue"Tika" Sumpter is an American actress and producer. Sumpter began her career as the host of Best Friend's Date. From 2005 to 2010, she appeared in the daytime soap opera One Life to Live. In 2010, she made her film debut in Stomp the Yard: Homecoming and later featured in supporting roles for What's Your Number? (2011), Sparkle (2012), and A Madea Christmas (2013).
Mabel "Madea" Earlene Simmons is a character created and portrayed by Tyler Perry. She is portrayed as a tough, street-smart elderly African-American woman.
Madea's Family Reunion is a 2006 American comedy-drama film and an adaptation of the stage production of the same name written by Tyler Perry. The film is a sequel to Diary of a Mad Black Woman. It was written, directed by, and starring Perry with the rest of the cast consisting of Blair Underwood, Lynn Whitfield, Boris Kodjoe, Henry Simmons, Lisa Arrindell, Maya Angelou, Rochelle Aytes, Jenifer Lewis, Tangi Miller, Keke Palmer, and Cicely Tyson. The film tells the story of Madea preparing for an upcoming family reunion while dealing with the dramas before and during it. It was released on February 24, 2006, nearly one year following its predecessor, Diary of a Mad Black Woman. The independent film was produced by Lionsgate.
Meet the Browns is a 2004 American stage play written, produced and directed by Tyler Perry. It stars David & Tamela Mann as Mr. Brown & Cora, as they head off to see Brown's side of the family. The play is a spin off of 2003's Madea's Class Reunion, where it's revealed at the ending that Brown is Cora's long-lost father. The live performance released on VHS and DVD on October 27, 2004 was recorded live in Cleveland at the Palace Theatre in October 2004.
Rochelle Aytes is an American actress and model. She is best known for her role as April Malloy on ABC drama series Mistresses (2013–16) and as the voice of Rochelle in the critically acclaimed video game Left 4 Dead 2 (2009). Aytes also starred in the auto-biography story film of TLC titled CrazySexyCool: The TLC Story as Perri "Pebbles" Reid, short-lived series Drive and The Forgotten (2009–10), as well as Criminal Minds and Work It. In film, Aytes has appeared in White Chicks, Madea's Family Reunion and Trick 'r Treat. Aytes also had a recurring role as Agent Greer, an ex-CIA officer, on the CBS television series Hawaii Five-0. Since 2019, Aytes has played Nichelle Carmichael in the CBS action series S.W.A.T..
Tamela Jean Mann is an American gospel singer and actress. She began her career as a singer with the gospel group Kirk Franklin and the Family. Mann was a primary vocalist on several tracks while with Franklin's group, including "Now Behold the Lamb", and "Lean on Me", the latter of which also included Mary J. Blige, Crystal Lewis, R Kelly and Bono. She began her solo career by releasing the albums Gotta Keep Movin (2005), and The Master Plan (2009).
Madea Goes to Jail is a 2009 American comedy-drama film written and directed by Tyler Perry, which was based on his 2006 play, and starring Perry, Derek Luke, Keshia Knight Pulliam, Ion Overman, RonReaco Lee, Sofía Vergara, Vanessa Ferlito, and Viola Davis. The film tells the story of Madea going to prison for her uncontrollable anger management problems as she befriends a young incarcerated prostitute whom an assistant district attorney has known since college. The film was released on February 20, 2009. It is the fourth film in the Madea cinematic universe as it follows up from the cameo appearance of Madea in the previous film Meet the Browns and it features Cora and Mr. Brown from that film.
I Can Do Bad All by Myself is a 2009 American romantic musical comedy-drama film which was released on September 11, 2009. The film was directed, produced, and written by Tyler Perry, who also makes an appearance in the film as his signature character Madea. The rest of the cast consists of Taraji P. Henson, Adam Rodriguez, Brian White, Mary J. Blige, Gladys Knight, and Marvin L. Winans. Although the film and play share the same title, the film is not an adaptation of Perry's play of the same name; the two works have different storylines as this film tells the story of an alcoholic lounge singer who is persuaded to take the custody of her niece and nephews by Madea after she catches them breaking into her house and their grandmother has gone missing. Both are named for a lyric in the Changing Faces song "G.H.E.T.T.O.U.T.". It is the fifth film in the Madea franchise.
Madea's Big Happy Family is a 2010 American stage play created, produced, written, and directed by Tyler Perry. It stars Tyler Perry as Mabel "Madea" Simmons and Cassi Davis as Aunt Bam. The play also marks the debut appearance of Aunt Bam played by Davis. Perry began writing the show after the death of his mother Willie Maxine Perry on December 8, 2009. The main character of Shirley is based on her. The live performance released on DVD on November 23, 2010 was recorded live in Atlanta at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre in July 2010.
Madea's Big Happy Family is a 2011 American comedy-drama film based on Tyler Perry's 2010 play of the same name. It is the 11th film in the Tyler Perry film franchise and the sixth in the Madea cinematic universe. Tyler Perry reprised Madea and Joe, and the other cast members include Loretta Devine, Bow Wow, David Mann, Cassi Davis, Tamela Mann, Lauren London, Isaiah Mustafa, Natalie Desselle, Rodney Perry, and Shannon Kane. It tells the story of Madea finding out that her niece is dying from cancer. Madea gathers her niece's children and their family members together to deal with the news while contending with the different issues between them.
A Madea Christmas is a 2011 American stage play created, produced, written, and directed by Tyler Perry. It stars Tyler Perry as Mabel "Madea" Simmons and Cassi Davis as Aunt Bam. The play also marks the debut appearance of Hattie Mae Love, played by Patrice Lovely. The live performance released on DVD on November 22, 2011 was recorded live in Atlanta at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre in May 2011. This was Perry's first production that wasn't available on tour and had only 2 premiere performances.
Ain't Nobody Got Time for That is a viral YouTube video of Kimberly "Sweet Brown" Wilkins being interviewed after having escaped a fire in an apartment complex. It originally aired on April 8, 2012, on Oklahoma City NBC affiliate KFOR-TV.
Tyler Perry's Madea's Tough Love is a 2015 American live action-animated comedy film directed by Frank Marino, written by Matt Fleckenstein and Benjamin Gluck produced by Tyler Perry, Matt Moore, and Ozzie Areu, and starring the voices of Perry, Cassi Davis, Rolonda Watts, Avery Kidd Waddell, Philip Anthony-Rodriguez, Georg Stanford Brown, Kevin Michael Richardson, Mari Williams, Indigo, Caitlyn Taylor Love, Maya Kay, Kate Higgins, and Bootsy Collins. The film tells the story of Madea being sentenced to community service at a youth center as she comes across a devious plot to destroy it. It was released on January 20, 2015. While the film is mainly animated and serves as Tyler Perry Studios' first live action-animated film, the beginning and ending scenes however are live-action like the other Madea films.
Ciera Payton is an American actress, writer and singer. She has appeared in television series such as The Walking Dead, General Hospital, Graceland, and NCIS. She also had a supporting role as Sylvia in Tyler Perry's A Madea Family Funeral. She currently stars in the BET soap opera The Oval.
Nobody's Fool is a 2018 American romantic comedy film written and directed by Tyler Perry. It stars Tiffany Haddish, Tika Sumpter, Omari Hardwick, Mehcad Brooks, Amber Riley and Whoopi Goldberg, and follows a recently paroled woman who tries to help her sister with a man who may be catfishing her. The film marks Tyler Perry's first R-rated comedy, as well as his first film not to be distributed by Lionsgate.
A Madea Family Funeral is a 2019 American comedy film written, directed, and produced by Tyler Perry. It is the eleventh installment of the Madea cinematic universe, and stars Perry in several roles, including as the titular character, as well as Cassi Davis and Patrice Lovely. The plot follows Madea and her friends as they must set up an unexpected funeral during a family get-together in Maxine, Georgia.
A Madea Homecoming is a 2022 American comedy film produced, written, and directed by Tyler Perry and his second film to be released by Netflix. Besides Perry, the film stars Cassi Davis-Patton, David Mann, Tamela Mann, Gabrielle Dennis, and Brendan O'Carroll. It is the twelfth film in the Madea cinematic universe. The film tells the story of Madea partaking in her great-grandson's college graduation party as hidden secrets emerge and surprise visitors show up. It was released on February 25, 2022. It is adapted from Perry's stage play Madea's Farewell Play, the first Madea film to be adapted from a stage play since A Madea Christmas. The film is also a crossover between the Madea franchise and the Irish sitcom Mrs. Brown's Boys.
