Keisha Lance Bottoms explains Tyler Perry’s role on her Georgia transition team

The governor-elect cited Perry’s business influence and community contributions amid questions about his appointment.

Keisha Lance Bottoms is standing by her decision to bring Tyler Perry into the leadership group preparing her incoming Georgia administration, pointing to the filmmaker’s economic influence and longstanding community involvement as reasons his participation makes sense.

During an appearance on “Yung Joc & The Streetz Morning Takeover,” the governor-elect addressed questions about Perry’s appointment as one of 10 co-chairs of her transition team. Rather than presenting the decision as a personal favour to a friend, Bottoms argued that Perry’s business presence in Atlanta gives him a meaningful stake in the state’s future.

“Tyler is, one, a great friend. He’s a great human being. He has a multi-billion-dollar business in the heart of Atlanta,” she said.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Streetz Morning Takeover (@streetzmorningtakeover)

She went on to explain why she believes his involvement extends beyond his celebrity status.

“He does a lot on behalf of the community. He employs a lot of people; he supports a lot of small businesses over at his studio. So it makes sense that he would be a part of it,” Bottoms added.

Her comments offer a glimpse into how she is approaching the transition, bringing people with influence across different sectors into conversations about the state’s direction, rather than limiting the process to traditional political figures.

Bottoms also used the interview to address a misunderstanding about the structure of the transition operation. The 10 co-chairs, she explained, are not the entirety of the team or an exclusive group that will make decisions on its own.

“These are just co-chairs. This is not the entire team,” she said, adding that the wider operation could bring in approximately 100 more people. She described the co-chair group as a cross-section of business and community leaders.

The transition initiative, named “Georgia’s Promise,” was announced on Nov. 6, just three days after Bottoms won the gubernatorial election. Its work includes preparing the incoming administration, assessing potential candidates for leadership positions and helping identify people who could serve in state agencies.

Perry joins a group that includes Home Depot co-founder Arthur Blank, former Walgreens Boots Alliance CEO Rosalind Brewer, former Georgia state Sen. Jason Carter and nonprofit leader Michelle Nunn. The selection brings together figures with experience in business, public service, philanthropy and entertainment.

Still, Perry’s appointment comes with a layer of controversy that extends beyond the question of whether an entertainment executive belongs in a political transition. He is currently facing two civil lawsuits involving allegations of sexual misconduct.

Actor Derek Dixon filed a $260 million lawsuit in June 2025, accusing Perry of sexual harassment, assault and retaliation. Actor Mario Rodriguez later filed a separate lawsuit containing allegations of sexual misconduct.

Perry has denied the accusations through his legal representatives, and the claims remain allegations rather than established findings of wrongdoing.