Due to the location\u2019s dark past, film mogul Tyler Perry revealed that he used God\u2019s Word to establish the foundation for his 330-acre Atlanta, Georgia, studio.<\/p>\n
Perry acquired the land for Tyler Perry Studios in 2015, and since its grand opening in 2019, the studio has been the launching pad for hundreds of TV shows and films.<\/p>\n
In a recent\u00a0interview with AARP<\/a>, Perry revealed that before building sound stages on the land, he buried Bibles underneath the structures \u201cas a way of refocusing the spirit of the place.\u201d<\/p>\n Tyler Perry Studios sits on a former Confederate army base, and Perry is the first black American to own the land. He built 12 sound stages on the property, each named after black actors and actresses that influenced the writer and visionary.<\/p>\n He explained to AARP, \u201cThe land itself was once a Confederate Army base, which meant there were people here fighting to keep my ancestors enslaved.\u201d The professing Christian shared that he was haunted by the land as soon as he stepped on it.<\/p>\n \u201cFrom the moment I walked onto the property, I was haunted by it. So, as we built each of the 12 soundstages, we buried Bibles underneath them, as a way of refocusing the spirit of the place,\u201d he continued. Perry has since used the studio to create content honoring black experiences.<\/p>\n His scripted crime-drama series, \u201cThe Haves and the Have Nots,\u201d ran for eight seasons on Oprah Winfrey\u2019s OWN Network and was \u201cthe highest-rated show\u201d on the channel.\u00a0Perry said, \u201cFor Oprah and me, it was important to show black people that you can work together, that powers can come together and be successful.\u201d<\/p>\n He said that Tyler Perry Studios also provides jobs for many people, including those marginalized, adding, \u201cThousands of people come through the gate every day to work here. And it\u2019s a beautiful thing. A lot of them are former prisoners who wouldn\u2019t have had this shot.\u201d Perry has intentionally invited God into his studio space since its launch.<\/p>\n During the\u00a0grand opening gala\u00a0<\/a>for his studio in 2019, the performer hosted a church service and gospel brunch. The service was held in a replica church of the sanctuary featured in \u201cThe Color Purple\u201d and featured performances from a gospel choir and the Clark Sisters along with a sermon by Bishop T.D. Jakes.<\/p>\n At the time, Perry took to\u00a0Instagram\u00a0to praise God for his success, writing, \u201cGlory to Glory – Couldn\u2019t close the weekend without Jesus meeting us on the lawn at the studio!! Having a full heart and a thankful soul to all that have prayed me all the way here.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n A post shared by Tyler Perry (@tylerperry)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n