News spoke to Tyler Perry about his latest film, The Six Triple Eight starring Kerry Washington. The writer and director discussed his busy year, working with Oprah, the film’s dedication, and more. The World War II drama begins streaming on Netflix on December 20.
“The Six Triple Eight is inspired by the first and only Women’s Army Corps unit of color to serve overseas in WWII. Despite facing racism and sexism – and grueling working conditions – they were committed to serving their country with honor and distinction. Given an extraordinary mission and united in their determination, these unsung heroes delivered hope and shattered barriers. Written and directed by Tyler Perry, [The Six Triple Eight] stars Kerry Washington as Major Charity Adams, the commanding officer of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion,” says the synopsis.
Tyler Treese: The Six Triple Eight is your third movie this year. All three have felt very different, and this is probably one of your most ambitious movies yet. You’ve really shown your range this year. Can you speak to just continuing to evolve as a creative and keep on trying new things?
Tyler Perry: I think that’s what the spice of life is, right? Trying new things and not being afraid to take on new challenges. When this story came to me, I thought, “You can’t ignore this. You have to go in and go and do it right and do it well.” So I’m really excited and grateful for the way that it turned out.
When you’re tackling a real-life historical subject matter like this, that comes with a level of sensitivity and a level of detail. You can really tell this was a passion project when you watch this. How was it doing that added research? How did that impact your typical creative process?
Typically, when I’m writing a story, a fictional one, I can just go in any direction I want to. But understanding there were historical facts that had to be followed, checked, rechecked and maintained throughout this movie. As you watch it, 90% of what you saw is actually factually correct. I took some liberties toward the end because I didn’t want to end on such a sad note. Because when these women came home, there was no fanfare. Charity Adams went to work at Macy’s. So, I wanted to be sure that I was staying to point. So I had a great historian in Kevin Hymel, actually talking to Lena King, the real Lena King who was 99 years old, whose recall was as if it were yesterday, was very helpful.
I love that we get to see her at the very end of the movie. It was really lovely that you got that footage.
Oprah’s in this, which is incredible. I know you guys have had a relationship for decades, but how is it directing her? I can’t imagine giving notes to Oprah.
The wonderful thing about Oprah, and any other actor who’s a great actor like Susan Sarandon and Sam Waterston or Dean Norris, all of these people who are in the movie… What a great actor wants is to be directed, and Oprah’s no different. She wants to trust the director, wants to know that she’s in the right space, wants to know that she’s level in the same movie as everybody else in the room. So it was really great.
Kerry Washington, we’ve come to expect greatness from her, and she’s fantastic in this movie, but I was really blown away by Ebony Obsidian. I know you worked with her on Sistas, but what made you think that she could really carry this film? Because she’s in such a key role and she delivers throughout.
Yeah, first just in working with her for years on Sistas and doing so many episodes, but also when I met Lena, I thought, you kinda look like her. So I really wanted her to do it, and when she said yes, I was very, very happy.
You have a wonderful dedication at the end of this movie to Clarence and Jacqueline Avant. Their daughter, Nicole Avant, produced this film. How special was it to give that tribute with both of them having passed? I thought that was really beautiful.
Yeah, well, the horrible tragedy of the way that her mother died right before we started this project, she felt like, “My mother wants us to do this.” Her mother had told her about the Six Triple Eight and had shared all these stories with her. So, it was only fitting to be dedicated to her and then her father passing soon after. It was only fitting to do that.
Susan Sarandon as Eleanor Roosevelt. I thought that was some really inspired casting. Could you speak to that choice?
Listen, I’ve always wanted to work with these incredible actors, so I gotta tell you, Keri Selig, who’s a producer on the film, was very instrumental in making a lot of that happen. The casting of Susan and Sam and people like that. So it was really great to get it done, and they all wanted to just get in and honor these women. So that’s what was important.
Thanks to Tyler Perry for taking the time to talk about The Six Triple Eight.
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