Tyler Perry is reflecting on the impact of his late mother, Maxine Perry — and it's thanks in part to Today star Hoda Kotb.
The media mogul appeared on the December 16 taping of the NBC daytime series, where he was promoting his new movie The Six Triple Eight (out December 20 on Netflix). While Hoda and Tyler discussed the project depicting the story of the Women's Army Corps unit of color during World War II, they also found themselves talking about the continued impact Maxine has on Tyler long after her death in December 2009 from an undisclosed illness.
As Tyler explained to Hoda, he has a sweet way of always carrying his mother with him. Pulling out a necklace with a shoe charm on it, he shared how this was part of a piece of jewelry he inherited from Maxine.
"I'm wearing her chain," he sweetly told Hoda while looking at it on the air. "She had a chain with all of her kids' initials on it and when she died, I had it broken up and given to my brother and my sisters. So, we all have this chain."
That's not all Tyler had to say about Maxine. When Hoda further asked what kind of legacy Tyler's mother left on him, he added how so many of Maxine's lessons continue to stay with him in all facets of his everyday life.
"I heard the best quote, and I can't remember who actually said it," he noted. "But the best quote was, 'The first weapon I ever held was my mother's hand.' And with those hands, she taught me so much about prayer and getting through things and moving through and just being a good person. So, those things for me, are very, very important."
As some fans may remember, this isn't the only time Tyler has mentioned Maxine while on live television. When he was promoting his movie Maxine's Baby: The Tyler Perry Story in November 2023, he found himself tearing up after The View star Sara Haines praised him for how he infused his mother's essence throughout.
We can so feel the love Tyler had for his mom!
As the entertainment and news associate editor for Good Housekeeping, Adrianna (she/her) writes about everything TV, movies, music and pop culture. She graduated from Yeshiva University with a B.A. in journalism and a minor in business management. She covers shows like The Rookie, 9-1-1 and Grey's Anatomy, though when she’s not watching the latest show on Netflix, she’s taking martial arts or drinking way too much coffee.
