Hollywood actor and filmmaker Tyler Perry has ruled out marriage, saying his decision is driven less by concerns about love than by the financial consequences he has seen follow divorce.
The 57-year-old filmmaker made the disclosure during an appearance on The Jennifer Hudson Showwhile promoting his latest film, Why Did I Get Married Again?, the latest instalment of a franchise that has explored marriage, infidelity and divorce since 2007.
Perry, who has never been married, said he had witnessed financially successful people lose their wealth after divorce, making him unwilling to take the risk of marriage.
“I’m never marrying. It is not the marriage that bothers me. It is the divorce. Everybody that I know that did well and went broke, it was because of the divorce so I’m good just being free,” he said.
His comments came as he discussed the new film, which premiered on Netflix on September 9 and continues the storyline of relationships and the challenges surrounding marriage.
Beyond his decision not to marry, Perry said his priorities were changing as he grows older, with greater emphasis now being placed on spending time with his 11-year-old son, Aman, whom he shares with his former partner, Gelila Bekele.
“It’s time to slow down a bit, enjoy more time with my son and just take it all in,” he said.
Perry and Bekele were in a relationship from 2009 to 2020.
The filmmaker also disclosed plans to relocate to Puerto Rico with his son at the beginning of 2027, saying he intended to reduce his involvement in the demanding Hollywood schedule.
Despite ruling out marriage, Perry stressed that his position should not be interpreted as a rejection of love or companionship.
Rather, he said his concern was with the potential consequences of divorce, particularly the financial losses he had seen experienced by people who had accumulated significant wealth.
For Perry, marriage may remain an important institution for others, but it is no longer a commitment he wants to pursue as he enters a new phase focused more on family, personal freedom and spending time with his son.
