Tyler Perry’s “Why Did I Get Married Too”
More Laughs, More Drama plus Cicely Tyson

Cicely Tyson’s laudable Hollywood journey has inspired many film careers; heralded as a queen within an industry known for short-term fame, she has endured and is still a force to be admired.

Oprah Winfrey deemed her a legend among few; Tyler Perry named a film studio in her honor; last fall, we witnessed the unveiling of the Cicely L. Tyson Community School of Performing and Fine Arts in Orange, New Jersey.

On April 2, Ms. Tyson joins the successful movie franchise, “Why Did I Get Married Too,” a snapshot of four vacationing couples who challenge their marriage commitments each year. 

During the New York premiere of the anticipated Tyler Perry romantic comedy, I sat with Ms. Tyson, who portrays Ola, wife of Porter (Louis Gossett, Jr), one of the new cast members but certainly not new to working with Perry (Madea’s Family Reunion). 

Cicely Tyson at New York
premiere of “Why Did
I Get Married Too” 

Glowing, exquisite and profound at age 76, Ms. Tyson is cautious yet optimistic about this era in Hollywood; we chatted about her towering impact and the onscreen stories she’d like to see told about black love.
 
Sandra Varner (Talk2SV):  Watching you enter a crowded room and the reaction that follows, your illuminating presence is evident.  How do you interpret your impact on the public? 

Cicely Tyson: I’m not aware of it.

Scene from “Fried Green Tomatoes” 

Talk2SV: How could that be?

Tyson: First of all, one never sees oneself as others see them.  I’ve never focused on myself; I focus on what I do and to me there’s a difference.  I suppose it has to do with the fact that I’m constantly seeking and searching for the ultimate, though most people feel I have accomplished or achieved it, I don’t. I was asked the other day while speaking to a group of young girls, ‘how did I feel now that I had made it?’  I’m laughing (to myself) because it’s a funny question to me. I said to her, ‘well, I’ll tell you, the day I feel that I have made it, I am finished.’ Because if anything stops you from developing and growing, it’s thinking that you have arrived and I don’t want to think that.

<--Receives Hollywood star in 1997 

Talk2SV: During the New York press conference with Tyler Perry and fellow cast members, you were very clear about what the representation of these stories mean: positive, beautiful images of black people in love, at our best, looking at ourselves. You are and were a precursor to much of this imagery for filmmakers like Tyler Perry and the actors who have come behind you. What do you want them to know about this business that maybe they don’t get?

Tyson: It is not easy. It is not easy, particularly for black women. I can attest to that because when I started in the business, I started with an independent black company and things happened so fast; I was new in the business. I was young and people were saying I was talented and everybody was reaching out so you know, I thought, ‘boy this is going to be a walk, I’m going to so forth and so on.’  Then, I got to the point where my agent could command (top) billing, could command higher salary, could command better roles and suddenly, I had to deal with being selective about the types of roles I was going to play.  So what I really want to say to young people, while you are young, make sure that you don’t chose anything that you will regret.  The money may be good, but that’s going to go; celluloid is permanent. I knew that if I had taken certain roles because of the money that I probably would have ended up on a psychologist’s couch because I have to live with myself.  To me, I want them to know that they must respect themselves. If you respect yourself, others will respect you. You have to command respect; they are not going to give it to you. Learn your craft so if you are lucky to do a movie and another one comes along with a director who may not be so taken with you, you will be able to make a good decision.  Learn your craft because nobody can take that away from you. I don’t care what they do, it’s staying with you and when it (your career) goes in another direction, you can keep it on your terms.

I tell you, it’s hard to believe sometimes the price we pay for what we are (as actors). I saw a young lady, very attractive, really talented, who was offered a role and in the final analysis, as close as she was to getting it, I believe she was told that they just didn’t want her.  I tell you, that was like somebody putting a dagger in my soul. I said, ‘this is unbelievable!  Why couldn’t she say to you, we don’t want to use black actors?’ why did she have to lie?  Because she thought she wouldn’t understand what she meant?  Here we are in 2010, we have a black president in the White House who has accomplished something today (passing of health care bill) that no one else was able to do and we can’t get certain roles, still.  OK? Do you understand?  We are still struggling, I’m sorry.

Scene from “Idlewild”--> 

Talk2SV: You have the luxury of having seen and worked with a number of filmmakers and directors, over a period time in this business.  What are you encouraged by now with Tyler Perry and others?

Tyson: He has made it; Tyler has made it. He has given us a home.  Not a house, a home. I really count on him.  He, for me, has introduced me to an entire generation of young people, who, when I walk down the street, imitate me …. He is making it possible.  Look at these young men (in this film) who are gorgeous, intelligent, accomplished, he is making it possible for the world to see that with a fresh perspective.  They’re not all poor gangsters, pimps and the like: we’re not all that.  I’ve been preaching that since I’ve been in this business. 

Talk2SV: Were you to choose any actress to tell the Cicely Tyson story, do you know who that would be?

Tyson: I have no idea.

<--Scene from “Hoodlum”

Talk2SV: You’ve never thought about that?

Tyson: No, it’s presumptuous for me to think they would be doing that… I have no idea because I never think along those lines.

Talk2SV: What do you want people to appreciate most about you and what you’ve brought to this business?

Tyson: I can honestly say that and I think it’s because that’s like putting a cap on something and I don’t feel that it warrants that at this stage of my life.

Talk2SV: What would you like to say about this business that we have not said?

Tyson: That “it” is a business, OK! We tend to forget about it, people in the hierarchy are in it to make money and they sell what will bring them the highest returns.  It is a business, but the choice is yours in terms of what you are going to be representing so you don’t necessarily have to sell yourself down the river.

Celebrated for laudable Hollywood career -->

Talk2SV: I have to ask you this, we have spent some time today talking about black love on screen and what it looks like and how it feels to us.  However, were there to be a platform to tell a story about black love for people over 50, what do you think should be the heart of that story?