Tyler Perry

One of the most powerful executives in the modern entertainment industry, filmmaker, actor, and producer Tyler Perry made his way by going his own way, making broad, uplifting comedies, many with the iconic character Madea; romcoms like Tyler Perry’s Why Did I Get Married? And issues-driven films like his 2010 adaptation of For Colored Girls. Tyler Perry Studios, his compound in Atlanta, is one of the largest production facilities in the country, with a dozen soundstages and growing. His secret to scale: He’s creating the culture he wants to see.