American filmmaker Tyler Perry has got people talking online after revealing that he has no intention of getting married because of what a divorce could mean for his finances.
The billionaire actor and producer gave the answer during an appearance on The Jennifer Hudson Show, where he was asked if he would ever consider marriage.
“Nope,” Perry said.
He went on to explain that marriage itself was not the problem for him. His concern, he said, was what could happen if the relationship ended in divorce.
“It’s not the marriage that bothers me, it’s the divorce,” Perry said. “Everybody that I know that did well and went broke, it was because of a divorce. So I’m good just being free.”
The comment has since drawn mixed reactions, particularly from people debating whether Perry’s concerns about marriage are justified considering the fortune he has built over the years.
Forbes estimates Perry’s wealth at $1.4 billion. Unlike many people in Hollywood, he has also retained significant ownership of the work that made him successful, including films, television shows and stage productions.
He also owns Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta, a 330-acre production complex built on a former military base.
Reacting to his position, Emmanuel Ekwueme (@EmEkwueme) said Perry’s decision showed how concerns about divorce could make some people unwilling to marry.
“This is exactly what happens when something is consistently a abused,” he wrote.
Mega Reigns (@mfonisoa61) also sided with the filmmaker, writing: “But then again, he is saying the truth.”
The user went further, arguing that the possibility of losing part of one’s wealth after a divorce could make marriage less attractive to some wealthy people.
Fujiverse (@Thisisfuji) took the discussion beyond Perry, arguing that money had become too important in modern relationships.
“women has made men lose the sense of companionship because everything has to be a transaction with them 😔 and it’s very bad,” the user wrote.
For Chinonso JohnPaul (@nollywhite_Utd), there was little to debate.
“He’s not lying,” he wrote.
Another user, @sdon_nation, responded with a question: “If what benefit is marriage to man?”
Emeka (@Okedurumi), however, focused less on the argument over marriage and more on Perry’s right to make his own choice.
“He is successful and he worked his way up, he deserves to live anyhow he wants to aslong as he doesn’t hurt others,” the user wrote.
Abimbola (@Abimz07) dismissed the debate altogether, writing: “That one na Una problem.”
Perry’s position has attracted even more interest because marriage has been at the centre of some of his most popular films.
He wrote and directed Why Did I Get Married? in 2007 and returned with Why Did I Get Married Too? three years later. The franchise has since continued with Why Did I Get Married Again?
But while Perry has spent years telling stories about married couples on screen, his latest comment leaves little doubt about where he currently stands on doing the same in his personal life.
The filmmaker, who turned 57 on Sunday, September 13, built his fortune after a difficult start to his career, including years when his stage productions struggled to attract audiences.
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