Tyler Perry (born Emmitt Perry, Jr.; September 13, 1969) is an African-American actor, director, playwright, screenwriter, producer, author, and songwriter. Perry wrote and produced many stage plays in the South during the 1990s and early 2000s. In 2005, he released his first film, Diary of a Mad Black Woman. In 2009, Perry was ranked by Forbes magazine as the sixth highest-paid man in Hollywood. As of July 2009[update], Perry's films had grossed nearly $400 million worldwide..