Madea (Tyler Perry) accompanies her niece, Eileen (Anna Maria Horsford), to the small town of Buck Tussel to pay a surprise visit to Eileen's daughter, Lacey (Tika Sumpter), who has refused to come home for Christmas. The real reason Lacey is avoiding her judgmental mother is that she has secretly married Connor (Chad Michael Murray), a white classmate from college. When Eileen and Madea arrive at Lacey's farm, she tells them that Connor is an employee, but her lie soon spins out of control.A Madea Christmas / Film synopsis

The Madea cinematic universe's Mabel Simmons is based on a mixture of the tough love Tyler Perry's mother and aunt gave him at a young age, respectively, with Perry stating (per NPR) they "would beat the hell out of you but make sure the ambulance got there in time to make sure they could set your arm back." These ...

Tyler Perry's A Madea Christmas.

Madea is based on Perry's mother and his aunt. In Perry's own words, Madea is "exactly the PG version of my mother and my aunt, and I loved having an opportunity to pay homage to them.

Madea Was Created To Represent Strong Women From The South They held it down in every way imaginable and didn't take mess from anyone. Perry observed, “She's a strong figure where I come from. In my part of the African-American community," he continued.

Madea. In 2000 Perry introduced Madea, the trash-talking, marijuana-smoking, gun-toting grandmother in his play I Can Do Bad All by Myself. Played by Perry, Madea is a central character in several of his subsequent plays and films.

Madea is a cross between two words, Mother, and Dearest. It's particularly a southern term for grandmother. Since Tyler is from the south, guess where he got the idea? Tyler said, “My aunt and my mother were the funniest women I knew so I model after them.”

Diary of a Mad Black Woman2005Meet the Browns2008Madea Goes to Jail2009I Can Do Bad All by Myself2009Madea's Big Happy Family2011Madea's Witness Protection2012 Madea/Movies

Perry's trademark character, Madea, was created in his play I Can Do Bad All by Myself (2000; film 2009). The brutally honest, rambunctious gun-toting grandmother, whose name comes from the frequent African American contraction of “Mother Dear,” was played by Perry in drag.

Madea is a cross between two words, Mother, and Dearest. It's particularly a southern term for grandmother. Since Tyler is from the south, guess where he got the idea? Tyler said, “My aunt and my mother were the funniest women I knew so I model after them.”

The Lowdown: Medea first fell in love with Jason when he came to her homeland to steal the Golden Fleece. Since then, she has stood by his side, using her cunning and sorcery to help him escape sticky situations. But when Jason leaves her for the princess of Corinth, Medea concocts a terrible revenge.

Madea is the Black matriarchal superhero for a reason. Madea is loved around the world for her hilarious, bombastic, no-holds-barred approach to life. But some might not realize that Tyler Perry's beloved character was born from equal parts pain and reverence for his past.

Madea made her debut in Perry's 2000 stage play I Can Do Bad All By Myself, but Madea's roots are grounded in Perry's real life.

Tyler Perry (born Emmitt Perry Jr., September 13, 1969) is an American actor, filmmaker, and playwright. He is the creator and performer of Mabel "Madea" Simmons, a tough elderly woman, and also portrays her brother Joe Simmons and her nephew Brian Simmons.

Perry's trademark character, Madea, was created in his play I Can Do Bad All by Myself (2000; film 2009). The brutally honest, rambunctious gun-toting grandmother, whose name comes from the frequent African American contraction of “Mother Dear,” was played by Perry in drag. She was a recurring figure…

Madea is a cross between two words, Mother, and Dearest. It's particularly a southern term for grandmother. Since Tyler is from the south, guess where he got the idea? Tyler said, “My aunt and my mother were the funniest women I knew so I model after them.”