At 57, Tyler Perry says it’s ‘time to slow down’ as he plans Puerto Rico move

The filmmaker says he wants to enjoy more time with his son after years of maintaining one of Hollywood’s busiest schedules.

Tyler Perry is widely considered one of the hardest-working men in film and TV, constantly putting out new shows and films. But now, he’s preparing to take a break, finally.

In a new interview on “TODAY with Jenna and Sheinelle” on Monday, Perry, 57, revealed he was pulling back from work and preparing to relocate to Puerto Rico.

“Yep, moving to Puerto Rico at the top of the year, and I’m pulling back a whole lot,” he told reporter Justin Sylvester, who posed a question of whether Perry would ever “chill out” in his career.

In the same week where he reflected on battling depression, having suicidal ideations at one point before seeing a moment for growth and perseverance, Perry revealed that as he continues to get older, he’s focusing more on spending time with his 11-year-old son, Aman.

“Getting older inspired this,” he said. “It’s time to slow down a bit, enjoy more time with my son and just take it all in.”

Although Perry is welcoming viewers back into the “Why Did I Get Married” universe with characters they fell in love with (and loved to hate) beginning in 2007, his walking down the aisle won’t be happening. Perry dated Gelila Bekele from 2009 to 2020 and as he inches closer to 60, he cites his age as a reason why marriage isn’t in the cards for him.

Outside of “Why Did I Get Married Again?” Perry has been paying it forward for those in need. Earlier this month, the filmmaker committed to paying off an $18K lien on the house of a Chicago-area woman who was displaced due to repairs. On Friday (Sept. 11), Perry upped the ante by donating another $25K to assist with her home repairs.

“He had a wonderful mother… to teach him to be so giving,” Brenda Daurham said. “It touches my heart to think of how caring he is as a human being. I know he’s busy, but I want him to know how I feel.”

Perry’s total assistance for Daurham is now at $43K.