Tyler Perry’s got a knack for making his presence felt, whether he’s channeling a rambunctious matriarch in the Madea plays and movies he wrote and directed or playing an even-keeled editor in Brain on Fire. In a career that stretches 30 years, he’s worn many hats and taken on many types of roles, including understated supporting castmate, heroic lead, director and writer. Sometimes — as in the case of A Fall from Grace — he manages to be three of the four at once. 

For his latest part, he joins Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence in Don’t Look Up, a sci-fi satire written, produced and directed by Adam McKay. Perry plays Jack Bremmer, a TV host who does a hilariously subpar job at spreading the news that the world’s ending. When you’re done watching Don’t Look Up, check out the rest of these Tyler Perry gems. 

Trailer | Don't Look Up

Don’t Look Up (2021)

It’s the end of the world as we know it, and Dr. Randall Mindy (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Ph.D. candidate Kate Dibiasky (Jennifer Lawrence) know it. The problem is, despite their best efforts, they’re the only ones that seem to realize the end is near. The two discover that Earth is going to be destroyed by a massive comet, but others can’t seem to grasp this news. One of those people is Jack Bremmer (Tyler Perry), a comically oblivious TV show host who drastically underestimates the impact of the forthcoming disaster. 

A Fall from Grace | Trailer

A Fall from Grace (2020)

Dissolving romance is nothing new in Tyler Perry movies, but this one leads to a surprise crime thriller. After Grace Waters (Crystal Fox) is arrested for murdering her husband, weary, underachieving public defender Jasmine Bryant (Bresha Webb) takes on what appears to be an open-and-shut case — only to find that Waters might actually be the victim. Perry plays the role of Rory, Bryant’s demanding supervisor who’s reluctant to take on the case because of budgeting issues in the department. In addition to serving up some genuine tension, A Fall from Grace also led to one of the best memes of 2020. 

Brain on Fire | Trailer

Brain on Fire (2016)

Susannah Cahalan (Chloë Grace Moretz) is a wide-eyed, 21-year-old New York Post reporter whose life begins unraveling because of a mysterious health issue. Over time, her friends, family and co-workers grow frustrated with her increasingly erratic behavior. Her no-nonsense editor Richard (Tyler Perry) struggles to understand what ails her. Scrambling from doctor to doctor, Cahalan races to find out just what, exactly, is causing her brain to feel like it’s on fire. Until she solves the medical riddle, everything around her will burn. 

I Can Do Bad All by Myself (2009)

April (Taraji P. Henson) is an alcoholic lounge singer who becomes an unexpected caretaker after her mother dies and her nieces and nephews are forced to live with her. The only problem is that April lives with an abusive boyfriend, and she wants nothing to do with her nieces and nephews. The kids run into some trouble when they break into the home of feisty senior citizen Madea (Tyler Perry). Come for the cathartic familial drama and Madea’s typically outrageous antics. Stay to see Mary J. Blige show off her flawless vocals. 

Diary of a Mad Black Woman (2005)

Belittled and disregarded, Helen Simmons-McCarter (Kimberly Elise) is left to pick up the pieces after being thrown out of a house she shared with an abusive husband of 18 years. With no one left to turn to, she stays with Madea (Tyler Perry), her forceful and inadvertently hilarious grandmother. Madea helps Helen reclaim her confidence and discover new love. Written and directed by Tyler Perry, the film slides between melodrama, comedy and spirituality, defining his signature style in the process. It’s his first — and probably most important — feature film.