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Tyler Perry is preparing for a major change in his life, revealing that he plans to move to Puerto Rico in 2027 and significantly reduce his workload.
The filmmaker and actor shared the news during an interview with TODAY special correspondent Justin Sylvester on Sept. 14, shortly after celebrating his 57th birthday.
"Yes, I am officially — you're the first to hear this — I am officially moving to Puerto Rico," Perry said, making clear that the relocation is happening.
Perry, who shares his 11-year-old son, Aman, with his former partner Gelila Bekele, said getting older has made him rethink how he spends his time.
"Yep, moving to Puerto Rico at the top of the year, and I'm pulling back a whole lot," he said.
Asked what prompted the decision, Perry simply pointed to his age.
"Oh, getting older," he said. "It's time to slow down a little bit, enjoy more time with my son, and just take it all in."
Fatherhood appears to be a major part of that shift. Perry has previously spoken about how raising Aman has helped him work through some of the trauma from his own childhood.
"Having this opportunity and this moment to be a father and give him all the love that I never had has been really, really healing," he said.
Perry has also made it clear that he wants Aman to grow up away from the intense attention that comes with having a famous father. In a previous interview, he said, "My son's not famous," adding that he wants him to have as normal a life as possible and develop his own identity.
The move comes while Perry remains busy professionally. His latest film, Why Did I Get Married Again?, the third installment in the franchise that began in 2007, started streaming on Netflix on Sept. 9.
The project has also prompted Perry to reconsider his own views on marriage. While he once thought marriage might eventually be part of his life, he now says that is no longer the case.
"When I wrote the first one I thought, 'You know, marriage might be a good idea at some point,'" he said. "But at this age, I'm like, 'No, that's not a good idea for me.' So, no. Won't be any marriage for me."
