Tyler Perry’s two new television shows, “The
Haves and Have Nots” and “Love
Thy Neighbor,” debut today and tomorrow on Oprah Winfrey’s OWN Channel. “The
Haves and Have Nots” debuts tonight (May 28) in a two-hour premiere.

With 3 new movies and two new television shows this year,
Tyler Perry is the largest employer of black actors and actresses in show
business.  Thus, if black actors and
actresses want to be a “working” professional in entertainment, the best thing
one can do is get on Team Tyler and stay there.

Is Tyler Perry a loyal employer? How does he discover
talent? Are the actors and actresses that work with him just as religious and
spiritual as Perry’s core audience? What expectations does Tyler Perry have of
those actors and actresses who work with him?

Shadow and Act had a chance to catch up with three actors on
Tyler Perry’s new shows. In the three mini interviews below, Palmer Williams
Jr., John Schneider and Patrice Lovely discuss their loyalty to Perry (and
his to them) and explain how they landed their roles.

– Palmer Williams Jr.

Palmer Williams Jr.
calls himself a “25-year overnight” success. 
Seven years ago Tyler Perry caught him playing Jesus at New Birth church
in Atlanta, and by the next week he was auditioning for a role on “House of
Payne.” After six years on “House of Payne” and major roles in three of
Tyler Perry’s plays, Williams captured the role of Floyd on “Love Thy Neighbor.” In
the interview below, Williams highlights Perry’s loyalty and expectation of
excellence from those who work for him.

So how long have you been
aware of Tyler Perry?

That would have to be well over 15 years ago with “I know I
have been changed.” Mr. Perry used to visit my wife and I at home. We used to
always talk about collaborating one day. He even showed me the first Madea
drawings. At the time I thought, “Well good luck with that bro… I hope it works out for you.” Needless to say, I did not think it was going to work out like this. He has always been a
go-getter.

There are millions of people who would love to be in my
shoes right now but God so chose me to be in this position. And I’m just ever so
grateful for it. It was like trial by fire, learning how to be in television.
He took a chance on me.

How do you remain loyal to
Tyler Perry?

He was loyal to me first. I’m still working. There is a time
where a lot of actors will go through mental anguish because they are not
working. They don’t know what may have happened with the last show or why they
didn’t get picked up for the new show. He’s so amazing to where he will cast me
in the weirdest way. When I first started doing “House of Payne,” he walked by me
during a taping. He said, “by they way, you’re going to be in a play right after
Christmas called ‘The Marriage Counselor’ and there will be somebody be in contact with you.” He just walked off.

All of sudden right after Christmas, somebody called me and we
went right into rehearsal and we were up in Little Rock, Arkansas in late
January. I was only supposed to shoot 6 episodes of “House of Payne” and look
at me now.

What did you do to get your
opportunities and to “get on the good side of Tyler Perry?”

I am a 25-year-old overnight success. I’ve been working for
25 years doing this. It just so happened that God orchestrated it where I was
at the right place at the right time. He was at New Birth in Atlanta just
worshipping and I was playing Jesus Christ and dancing and Tyler Perry saw me.

Now we know you would never
do this, but what could you possibly do to get on the “bad” side of Tyler
Perry?

Drop from professionalism and not live up to his expectations
of what he expects and knows I can do.

Have you seen people drop
their professionalism?

Unfortunately they may not be working with him anymore. I
still respect the man even though I am older than he is. I still respect the
person who signs my checks so there has to be some sort of respect that is
equipping you with the type of finances to maintain my lifestyle for my family. 

– John Schneider

Many people will
recognize Jon Schneider from his six years on the “Dukes of Hazzard” television
show and 11 years on “Smallville.” In his leading role in “The Haves and Have
Nots”, Schneider landed the part after Perry, a fan of his from
his “Dukes of Hazzard” days, invited him to audition. In “The Haves and Haves
Nots” John plays Jim Cryer, a wealthy judge who wants to become Georgia’s next governor.

When did you first become
aware of Tyler Perry and all of his projects?

I wish it was longer ago but it was about a year ago. I feel
that I know the car crowd—the people that live on a dirt road and work on a car
and pull the engine out with an oak tree—the audience I built with “Dukes of
Hazzard.” Someone told me that, although I knew my audience, I should study this
guy named Tyler Perryd who knows his audience better than you know yours.

How did you connect with
Tyler Perry for the part in “The Haves & Have Nots?” Did your agent see the
role and think that you would be perfect?

Now that I know Tyler as well as I know Tyler, I don’t think
any agent goes to Tyler about somebody, I think Tyler goes to the (agent). He
didn’t come to me and offer me the role. He came to me and offered me the
audition. He grew up watching the “Dukes of Hazzard” in Hammond, Louisiana. When
I came in for the audition, I loved the script. I wanted this role.

Traditionally when black
actors have a role on a multicultural television show, the show is produced by a
white person and the network is run by a white person. But you are working on a show produced by a black man on a network run by a black woman. What is that like?

Isn’t it amazing? It has to be God. And I’m not the token
white guy. I’m not like the innocent that’s gonna be killed in episode three.
I’m engrained in this show. I feel very fortunate that I was chosen to be that
guy in this flagship in this marriage between Tyler & Oprah. At 53-years
old, it’s the best thing that’s happened in my glorious career. Tyler Perry
said that’s the white guy I want in my show.

How long did it take to
shoot the show?

We shot 16 hours in 22 working days. We did 22 episodes of
“Smallville” and “Dukes of Hazzard” in 10 months. It’s wonderful quality. It’s
nothing less than impossible and he does it everyday.

– Patrice Lovely

When Tyler Perry
promised that he would cast two people from current shows and plays in his OWN
shows, Patrice Lovely won out. After 25 years of traveling the country non-stop
doing gospel plays, she landed her own television show, “Love Thy Neighbor.”
She plays Hattie Mae Love, a character from Tyler
Perry’s play, “A Madea Christmas.”

So Patrice, you have your
own show produced by Tyler Perry on a network owned by Oprah Winfrey. How is
that possible?

I got everything that God had for me. I would have never
fathomed in my wildest dreams to say my boss is Tyler Perry and Oprah Winfrey; and
I come straight from the projects in Troy, Alabama. To walk into where you are
supposed to be and kick the door down.

That is God. It’s almost like you have just been pushed.
I’ve done 20 or 25 years of theatre, but to me theatre is not work because
that’s what I like to do. And then you meet the man (Tyler Perry) and THE lady
(Oprah Winfrey) of the world. It’s like you’ve been giving a platter and you
just take it, and now do what you do on a higher level.

It’s like mind blowing. I can’t believe that I’m here but I
do know that I’ve walked into my destiny, into where and what God wanted me to
have. I always get choked up about where I’ve come from. Pentecostal
denomination, so you know I was choked to death with one Lord, One Faith.

How did you first connect
with Tyler Perry?

He flew into Detroit because he had heard all this hoopla
about me from Allen Payne. [After he saw my show in Detroit], his people called
me on the phone that night. The next day I was in Tyler’s office, sitting there
looking at him face to face. The next week, we were signing papers. I have
never done an audition for Tyler. I’ve never sent in a headshot. Tyler gave me
my first script and he said “here, do what you do.” I took apart where I wanted.
I added the meat where I wanted. I performed in the plays “Madea’s
Christmas,”  “The Haves and The Have
Nots,” “I Don’t want To Do Wrong,” and “Madea Gets a Job.”

Tell Us about Your Career in
Theatre, performing in Gospel Plays.