What the heck is going on with Tyler Perry? Did his wife leave him?

Is Tyler Perry having a breakdown? It has been an eventful year for him – and, well, everybody. Perry shared an Instagram photo of himself in workout attire and revealed he was going through a lot in an honest caption.

Mid-life crisis unbound

“This is what a midlife crisis looks like. I’m 51, single and wondering what the next chapter in my life will look like,” Perry wrote revealing his split from longtime girlfriend Gelila Bekele. Perry shares a 6-year-old son, Aman, with the model/director/activist.  “Whatever it looks like I’m going to walk with God, be the best father & man I can be, hold my head up high, and try to look my best doing it!!”

In 2019, Perry made the final movie in his Madea franchise. He’s also a busy and wildly successful media mogul, an active philanthropist, and became a billionaire this fall, according to Forbes Magazine. His movies & television shows made him a household name, especially among African Americans. In 2015 he built a 330-acre movie studio outside of Atlanta, Georgia, and helped to make the city a filmmaking destination.

Racism in 2020

Over the summer, Perry got candid in a personal essay about explaining racism to his son and detailing his thoughts on racial injustice & police brutality against unarmed Black people in America.

“I’m exhausted from all the hate and the division, the vitriol that I see online from one to another,” Perry wrote. “I’m exhausted from seeing these kinds of senseless murders play out over & over again with nothing changing in our society.”

Perry wrote on various topics including how he felt after watching the death of George Floyd, a black man who died after being restrained in Minnesota by a white officer. He also touched on separate moments of being stopped & frisked in New Orleans & Atlanta.

How do I tell my child?

“The level of racism & brutality that George Floyd faced is something that we as Black people know all too well,” he wrote. “When I saw that video, I had so many raw, guttural emotions. I felt for him and his family. I felt for all of us as black people. I felt for my 5-year-old son.”

Perry said he is mulling over how to explain racism to his son. When he does have the conversation, the filmmaker wrote that he wants to instill hope in him and that “progress is made in small steps.”

Single, hm?

Meanwhile, let’s get back to the post. Some have noted that if a mid-life crisis looks anything like the photo Perry paired with that message, it’s going to look great. In the selfie shot, Perry captured a post-workout pic that appears to be a celebration of physical fitness. His words sparked an outpouring of support and plenty of offers for a date.

“Hey, Tyler. This is what 49 and single looks like. My kids are out of the house and in college and I’m living my blessed life. Dm me,” one follower replied, along with a photo.

“Single?! What?!” a fan on Instagram wrote. Another joked, “Mr. Perry let me be your Nikki Parker to your Professor Oglevee,” and yet another Instagram follower added, “God sent me to tell you I’m your wife.”

Over on Twitter, the replies were filled with photos of his female followers stating their age, and in many cases, their single status as well. As for his Facebook post, some claimed his pic was a thirst trap, others told him to check his DMs, and one woman wrote, “You do not have to be single,” and proceeded to post her phone number.

Personal inspiration

Others were inspired by Perry’s post and began to share their own experience of being single, in solidarity. One user wrote, “This too shall pass, my friend. Cheers to the 50+ crew & Living unapologetically Out Loud! When you’ve designed your ideal life, the second half of life is so rewarding!”

Another wrote, “You wear your midlife crisis well. You are a man with integrity & character. I admire this. Keep being the wonderful man you are.”

The Madea star & creator ended his message on a positive note and encouraged others to have an optimistic outlook as well. “In a world with so much sadness, please try and stay in the good! Merry Christmas and let’s look forward to 2021 bringing us peace!” Perry wrote.