Tyler Perry Reflects on Balancing Ambitious Projects and Personal Time Amidst ‘Divorce in the Black’ Release.

Tyler Perry, known for his relentless work ethic, is taking a moment to pause. He has just released “Divorce in the Black,” his first film with Amazon, on Thursday, July 11. This film is the initial offering in a four-movie deal with Amazon, adding to his existing agreements with Netflix and Paramount Global, which owns BET and BET+.

Previously, Perry was tied to exclusive deals with Turner Broadcasting, TBS, OWN, and Viacom (BET, Nickelodeon, TLC). However, he found these exclusive arrangements limiting.

“The exclusives were limiting in the sense I didn’t have enough work,” Perry said in a Zoom interview with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “I wasn’t at 100% capacity. With Turner, I was at 20%. With OWN, I was at about 35%. At BET, that took me to 50%. There was so much more I wanted to do. I decided no more exclusives. I can do many things in many places. I’m glad to say I’m now at 90% capacity.”

Perry’s output in 2024 alone includes eight TV shows and three movies. However, he plans to slow down for the remainder of the year. “I built in these breaks,” he said. “I have turned over writing and directing to a lot of people at my studio… If I want to do another movie, I may, but mostly it’s rest and time with my son and being in the best space possible.”

At 54, Perry acknowledges that he doesn’t have the same stamina he did 20 years ago. He balances his busy life by spending time at his retreats in Wyoming and Los Angeles, away from his Atlanta home, which is too close to his studio.

“Divorce in the Black” marks a return to themes familiar to Perry’s earlier work, reminiscent of “Diary of a Mad Black Woman.” Meagan Good stars as Ava, a middle-class bank employee navigating life after a tumultuous marriage to Dallas, played by Cory Hardrict. The film’s narrative follows Ava’s journey to rediscover herself on a farm outside Atlanta, where she rekindles an old flame with a kinder man, played by Shannon Wallace.

“This is vintage Tyler Perry,” Perry said. “It goes back to some of the stories where the church is so prevalent.”

This project is Perry’s first collaboration with Good, who also serves as a producer. Perry emphasizes the importance of providing opportunities for his cast, similar to his recent work with Kelly Rowland on the Netflix film “Mea Culpa.”

Good suggested Hardrict for the role of Dallas, and Perry was impressed from the start. The cast also includes Debbi Morgan, known for her Emmy-winning role on “All My Children,” as Ava’s caring mother.

“Debbi saw me at a Beyoncé concert and a friend said she should go and say hi,” Perry said. “Debbi said, ‘He doesn’t like me.’ Her friend said, ‘How do you know?’ She said, ‘He never put me in anything.’” Perry assured her it was simply a matter of waiting for the right role.

The film opens with a dramatic scene at a church funeral, inspired by Perry’s experiences at Baptist churches and his own family’s funerals.

In February, Perry made headlines by halting a major expansion of his Tyler Perry Studios due to concerns about the impact of artificial intelligence on the industry. He remains concerned about the future of the workforce he has trained, including grips, electricians, and makeup artists.

The decision to pause the studio’s expansion has also affected plans for a public entertainment district, which would have included a museum and theater.

“It was contingent upon a lot more traffic coming to the studio,” Perry said. “We have thousands of cars coming in every month but the extension would have tripled that so the entertainment district would always be busy just with people working at the studio. I didn’t want to depend on people coming from outside areas to make it work.”

Key Takeaways:

– Formula One (F1) drivers face strenuous physical demands leading to intense training regimens.
– Max Verstappen, a three-time F1 World Champion, epitomizes the athletic prowess required in the sport.
– A viral video illustrating Verstappen’s neck workout hints at the level of training required.
– Hollywood star Brad Pitt is undergoing similar workouts in preparation for his role in an upcoming F1 film.

Staying Fit for Formula One

From the outside, Formula One (F1) racing might seem all about the fast cars. But peel back the layers and you’ll reveal a world of intensive training, relentless dedication, and athletic prowess. Standing at the forefront of this world is Max Verstappen, a Belgian-Dutch athlete recognized internationally for waving the flag for Red Bull Racing. His journey to becoming a three-time World Drivers’ Championship victor speaks volumes about the physical requirements of the sport.

The Surprising Rigors of F1 Training

The athleticism demanded by F1 racing might come as a surprise for many. Beyond the complex strategy and split-second decisions, F1 drivers need to be in the prime of their physical form to excel in the sport. Just one look at Max Verstappen’s neck training routine, captured in a viral social media clip, leaves no room for doubting the athletic nature of the sport.

Neck strength, in particular, is crucial in F1, as it must withstand exceptional sideways forces experienced in high-speed turns. Verstappen’s workout, which involves hanging weights from his neck and using resistance bands to mimic such forces, showcases the level of fitness required. Learning about this part of Verstappen’s routine, fans worldwide have drawn attention to the intensity of F1 training, setting social media ablaze with their comments of awe and admiration.

Hollywood Takes On F1 Training

The fascination with F1 has not been lost on Hollywood either. In preparation for his role in an upcoming F1 film, Hollywood heartthrob Brad Pitt has taken on a similar, intense training regimen. In the movie, Pitt will portray a retired racer who returns to the ring — and, presumably, to the training gym. Producers have noted Pitt’s driving skills, which honed over months of training, impress even seasoned F1 racers.

The importance of being ‘racing fit’ has been recognized by the film’s producers, revealing that Pitt will even be behind the wheel of the racing cars during the film. The upcoming F1 movie, slated to release on June 27, 2025, has thus drawn attention to the exceptional physical demands faced by racers, further highlighting their athletic prowess.

No Shortcuts to Success in F1

Verstappen’s journey and Pitt’s preparations for his F1 role underscore the criticality of physical fitness in the sport. F1 training is an around-the-year commitment, encompassing intense workouts aimed at building strength and endurance, among other things. As Verstappen himself states, “You can never be tired in the car because then you are not strong enough.”

Despite the rigors of training, it seems Verstappen doesn’t break a sweat. Rather, he has embraced the physical challenge as a necessary component of race day preparation. After all, reaching the top is no cakewalk, as any F1 driver will tell you.

In a sport where maintaining ultimate fitness is just as important as handling the wheel, Verstappen’s training regime exemplifies the extraordinary requirements of becoming an F1 champion.

The Formula One world, while breathless with the roar of engine power and the thrill of high-speed races, hides an insider’s reality. Behind the scenes, athletes undergo rigorous training regimes, making them some of the most finely tuned professionals in the global sports community. With Verstappen’s training regimen now in the limelight, the intense athletic prowess possessed by these speed maestros is no longer in the shadows. The next time you watch an F1 race, you’ll understand the top-tier fitness fueling those blazing speeds on the track.