By Samantha Ofole-Prince
In an emotional speech which earned him a standing ovation, Tyler Perry recently spoke out at the Celebration of Black Cinema and Television event.
There to receive the Icon Award, the writer, director and producer of Netflix’s “The Six Triple Eight” talked about the recent loss of Steve Mensch, the president of Tyler Perry Studios who died in a plane crash Friday night. Stating that he needed time to heal, Perry, who has faced constant criticism for his formulaic films, talked about the impact of the accolade.
“You have to be careful when people start calling you an icon because the hunters only shoot at the deer that they can see. When you are an icon, you become a target. People are watching and want to tear you down. There is always somebody at the bottom trying to tear you down when everybody else at the top is applauding.”
Accepting the award which was presented to him by Kelly Rowland, Perry, who has helmed 24 feature films, 20 stage plays and 17 television shows and was being honored for his impact on the entertainment industry, talked about the need to spread love.
“This life is so precious and we need to lean into spreading love to one another. I am 55 years old and I am tired of bulls***. In 15 years, I am going to be 75. I am in a place in life where I just want to make some people laugh, inspire and do good things and encourage people.”
Held at the Fairmont Century Plaza in Los Angeles on Monday and hosted by actor and comedian Jay Pharoah, the event honored standout performances and work from the black entertainment community.
Filmmaker Malcolm D. Lee whose credits include “Girls Trip” received a Career Achievement Award while actress Regina King was presented with the Trailblazer Award for her remarkable career, including her recent work on Netflix’s “Shirley.”
Other honorees were directors Angela Patton and Natalie Rae who took home the Documentary Award for Netflix’s “Daughters,” and John David Washington who earned the Actor Award for his work in “The Piano Lesson.”
The Rising Star Award was given to actress and musician Ryan Destiny for her breakout lead performance in “The Fire Inside,” while the Breakthrough Actor Award was given to actor Jharrel Jerome for his performance in the Jennifer Lopez drama “Unstoppable.”
For his work on “Blitz,” which opened the BFI London Film Festival, only steps away from where bombs were dropped during the Blitz, British helmer Steve McQueen received the Director Award.
While receiving her accolade, Emmy, Grammy and Tony winning artist Cynthia Erivo who received the Actress Award for her performance in the movie “Wicked,” a movie about a woman who is misunderstood because of her unusual green skin, talked about the need for acceptance.
“As a Black queer nominee, the opportunity to bring Elphaba alive was the gift of a lifetime. No amount of words can describe how grateful I am and this honor is a reminder of why we tell stories. Why we bring ourselves and journeys to the screen. Representation is a powerful thing,” Erivo continued. “It’s why I wanted the long nails, her micro-braids and her boldness to reflect not just her greenness but my Blackness. I know my roots, they’re where I begin.”
Photos: Randy Shropshire & Leon Bennett/Getty Images for Critics Choice Association
