JaNeika James and JaSheika James. According to TV Line, the southern matriarch, Mabel "Madea" Earlene Simmons, was inspired by Perry's mother and aunt. Madea made her debut in the hit stage play; I Can Do Bad All By Myself in 1999. The gun-toting, no-nonsense character quickly resonated with audiences, gaining a massive fan base before premiering on the big screen in her movies. Diary of a Mad Black Woman, starring Kimberly Elise and Shemar Moore, was the first film Madea starred in. The most recent was A Madea Family Funeral in 2019. Forbes reports Perry recently made the billionaires list, taking into account his cash and investments, his stake in BET+ app, and his Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta, Georgia in 2020.