Tyler Perry Praises Teyana Taylor's Growth as an Actress: She's 'Her Own Special Talent'

Published: June 6, 2025

Tyler Perry is beaming with pride over Teyana Taylor continues to shine in the film industry. In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE, Perry praised Taylor, who stars in his new Netflix film Straw, saying it's been "moving" to see her growth since her breakout role in his 2011 film Madea's Big Happy Family.

"I gave Teyana her first movie where she was saying 'Byron,'" Perry, 55, recalled. "So to see her, where she's come [and] all the levels she's hit, it's been really moving."

Taylor, 34, has since gone on to star in numerous films, including Coming 2 America and The Book of Clarence. Perry said he didn't need to give her much direction on their latest film together, as she's a natural talent.

"I think her being on the set, maybe there are some things that moved her, but Teyana's her own very special talent," Perry said. "She's very brilliant. She's gonna figure it out for herself, and she delivered on this thing, for sure."

In Straw, Taylor plays Detective Kay Raymond, an officer who connects with the single-mother main character Janiyah (played by Taraji P. Henson) whose "world unravels in chaos as her day goes from bad to worse to catastrophic as she struggles to care for her ill daughter."

Perry shared that he always envisioned Taylor and Sherri Shepherd, who plays a bank manager named Nicole in the film, as the actresses to round out the cast of the Henson-led film, and was thrilled when the pair said yes.

"Because it's this diamond, where Taraji sits at the top, and you've got these pillars holding her up," he explained. "It's really fantastic. So for [Teyana and Sherri] to say yes is really incredible."

Henson, 54, also expressed her excitement about working with Taylor, saying she loved getting to work with the Coming 2 America actress and wants to again.

"Teyana and I need a do-over because we had no scenes together [in Straw] except the very end," Henson said, jokingly. "So Teyana, girl, us again on the scene, on the same screen, right?"

Straw is now streaming on Netflix. Check out more celebrity news and exclusives on PEOPLE.