Renowned filmmaker and entrepreneur Tyler Perry has revealed that he once made the difficult decision to terminate his aunt’s employment after she failed to take her job responsibilities seriously.
Speaking during a candid conversation with gospel artist Kirk Franklin on the YouTube series Den of Kings, Perry recounted how he offered his aunt a job as a means of helping her achieve long-term financial independence — a decision that ultimately tested the boundaries between family and business.
“She would always call asking for money, and I would send it,” Perry said. “But I told her, ‘I want to help you build something, not just be welfare to you. Let me give you a job.’”
However, things didn’t go as planned. According to Perry, his aunt began skipping work and demonstrating a lack of seriousness about the opportunity she had been given.
“She wasn’t showing up, wasn’t taking it seriously. So I had to say, ‘Well, you gotta go.’ You want me to hand you the money, but you don’t want to work for it. That doesn’t work for me.”
Empowerment Over Dependency
Perry used the experience to illustrate a broader personal philosophy — one rooted in empowerment, not dependency. He explained that, while he is committed to helping people, especially family, he draws the line at enabling behavior that hinders growth and responsibility.
“I don’t believe in giving people things that will handicap them. That’s the worst thing you can do,” he said. “I told them I wouldn’t continue to support them like that.”
Navigating Family and Business
The revelation adds another layer to Perry’s well-documented journey of perseverance and self-made success. As someone who has built a media empire from the ground up, Perry’s story serves as a cautionary tale about mixing family, finances, and business without clear boundaries.
While the decision may have been painful, Perry said it was necessary — a reflection of the hard lessons he’s learned on leadership, responsibility, and what it truly means to help someone.
His message is clear: real help means creating opportunities, not enabling comfort without accountability.