<p id=”par-1_56″><a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/tag/actors/”>Actor</a> Tyler Perry reintroduced his iconic character Madea to mainstream audiences <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/diary-of-a-mad-black-woman-15-years-later-what-is-the-cast-worth-today.html/”>several years ago</a> with the theatrical release of <em>Diary of a Mad Black Woman</em>. The 2005 project featured an ensemble cast, which included <em>Criminal Minds </em>star Shemar Moore. Working with Perry, however, proved to be both an unforgettable and peculiar experience for the veteran star.</p>
<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-what-shemar-moore-said-about-tyler-perry”>What Shemar Moore said about Tyler Perry</h2>
<figure class=”wp-block-image size-full” id=”emb-1″><img decoding=”async” src=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/shemar-moore-tyler-perry.webp?strip=all&quality=80″ alt=”Tyler Perry posing alongside Darren Grant, Shemar Moore, Kimberly Elise, Steve Harris, and Reuben Cannon at the premiere of ‘Diary of a Mad Black Woman’.” class=”wp-image-3787994″><figcaption class=”wp-element-caption”>Tyler Perry, Darren Grant, Shemar Moore, Kimberly Elise, Steve Harris, and Reuben Cannon | J. Vespa / Getty Images</figcaption></figure>
<p id=”par-2_54″>Perry’s Madea spawned an entire franchise centered around the fast-talking grandmother. It was once reported that Perry was even considering writing <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/tyler-perry-madea-origin-story-mabel.html/”>an origin story</a> for the character. But Madea’s journey all started with <em>Diary of a Mad Black Woman</em>, which cast stars like Kimberly Elise and her co-star Moore to tell its story. </p>
<p id=”par-3_38″>Perry tapped Moore to play the love interest in his feature film debut after seeing Moore’s performance in a play. A mutual friend would help set up a meeting between the two that turned into a two-hour conversation.</p>
<figure class=”wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio” id=”emb-2″><div class=”wp-block-embed__wrapper”>
<iframe loading=”lazy” title=”Tyler Perry Reveals How He Created His ‘Madea’ Character | Sunday TODAY” width=”925″ height=”520″ src=”https://www.youtube.com/embed/S4m3gTULZNs?feature=oembed” frameborder=”0″ allow=”accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share” referrerpolicy=”strict-origin-when-cross-origin” allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div></figure>
<p id=”par-4_139″>“It was about the easiest conversation you could possibly have with a stranger,” Moore once said according to <a href=”https://www.blackfilm.com/20050218/features/shemarmoore.shtml”>Black Film</a>. “There was just a sense of feeling and getting each other and being interested in each other and into each other’s craft. He said I see something in you that I think can bring some words to life that I have in a script called <em>Diary of a Mad Black Woman</em>. It was a play and I want to make a movie. Do you want to be a part of it? After we spent some time together and I really got a sense of who he was and what it was he was trying to do – and obviously business-wise, it made sense. But then when I saw the cast – Cicely Tyson, Kimberly Elise – I signed up!”</p>
<p id=”par-5_39″>The <em>S.W.A.T.</em> star admitted that he didn’t have a lot of trust in Perry at first. But the filmmaker quickly won him over after they spent a significant time collaborating. Although Moore asserted that Perry could be intimidating occasionally.</p>
<p id=”par-6_72″>“Tyler is a special man. Something happens to him when he puts that wig on. He’s real quiet and then he puts that wig on and something flips. I don’t know – I’m scared of him sometimes! But I don’t know: Tyler’s special. Just as I alluded to him – he saw into me and I think he sees people. He’s a sponge. He watched and he doesn’t miss anything,” he said.</p>
<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-shemar-moore-tried-to-stay-away-from-the-funny-man-when-it-came-to-tyler-perry”>Shemar Moore tried to stay away from the funny man when it came to Tyler Perry</h2>
<figure class=”wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio” id=”emb-3″><div class=”wp-block-embed__wrapper”>
<iframe loading=”lazy” title=”Tyler Perry Talks ‘Madea,’ Clowns and Zombies” width=”925″ height=”520″ src=”https://www.youtube.com/embed/vYySiTZPJfA?feature=oembed” frameborder=”0″ allow=”accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share” referrerpolicy=”strict-origin-when-cross-origin” allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div></figure>
<div class=”related-article related-article–simple”>
<span class=”related-article-flag”>Related</span>
<p class=”related-article__title”>
<a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/tyler-perry-brought-madea-retirement.html/”>
Why Tyler Perry Brought Madea Out of Retirement </a>
</p>
</div>
<p id=”par-7_78″>Perry played quite a few characters in <em>Diary of a Mad Black Woman</em>, including Madea herself. However, Moore doesn’t share any long scenes with Perry’s Madea in the feature. It was noted that Moore played one of the more serious roles in the flick, which the actor was more than fine with. When he was asked if he wanted to inject more comedy into Orlando, Moore referenced advice he learned a time ago about working with comedic actors.</p>
<p id=”par-8_63″>“Well, you can’t compete with a six foot five man in a wig. I learned in Brothers. Morris Chestnut helped me learn that. In Brothers he said, Stay away from the funny man. Because for every joke you have, they’ve got a hundred more. D. L. Hughley and Bill Bellamy, that’s what they do. That’s what they’re in place to do,” he said.</p>
<p id=”par-9_24″>As serious as Moore’s performance was, Moore still felt <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/tyler-perry-went-from-poor-as-hell-to-billionaire-status.html/”>the billionaire mogul</a> needed a straight man to bring the most out of his comedy.</p>
<p id=”par-10_68″>“But you see you can’t have the funny man without the set up man. So the movie is set up so Tyler’s there to be the funny man and we – Kimberly is the set-up. Steve is the set-up. I’m the set-up. But I didn’t have scenes with Tyler as Madea or Joe. I had scenes with Brian, which is the straighter character that he played,” Moore said.</p>