Beyonce, Jay-Z, the Clintons, Halle Berry, Will Smith, Oprah and more celebrate history at Tyler Perry Studios gala

The night was hailed as 'historic' by many in attendance
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Megan C. Hills7 October 2019

This weekend marked a pivotal moment for filmmakers of colour, as producer and director Tyler Perry unveiled his film studios. Built in a former confederate army base, guests at the opening included Oprah Winfrey, the entire crew from Destiny’s Child (yes, even Beyonce), Jay-Z, Halle Berry, the Clintons, Samuel L Jackson, Spike Lee and more arrived to honour the historical moment.

Perry is the first African American filmmaker and multi-hyphenate actor, producer, writer to own a studio outright with no partners or corporate backing. The opening was celebrated with a gala which saw Beyonce and Jay-Z arrive in their finery, with the singer writing a meaningful note on social media about the opening of the studios.

Beyonce congratulated Perry in an Instagram post and said, “I could feel our ancestors’ presence. Surrounded by my heroes, I watched Denzel, Queen Oprah, Spike, Whoopi, Sir Poitier, Will, Halle , Dame Cicely and our angels John Singleton and Diahann Carroll honored.”

In the post, Beyonce was photographed with her husband Jay-Z and she stole the show in a golden sparkling gown. She revealed that guests also sipped on Armand de Brignac champagne - the alcohol brand her husband owns - and continued, “Generations of blood, sweat and tears, success, excellence and brilliance. It makes me so proud, so full, I could not stop crying. Thank you my Virgo brother [Perry] for so much love and passion put into every detail. My prayer today is that you will take it all in. You inspire me to dream even bigger.”

Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams
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She was joined by her mother Tina Knowles, as well as her former Destiny’s Child band members, with Michelle Williams stepping out in an unusually structured leopard print dress. She was joined by Kelly Rowland, who wore a silver shimmering dress with strong shoulders, a plunging neckline and a pill-shaped clutch.

Rowland shared an image on Instagram and said she was “so grateful to have witness Black Excellence, History and Greatness!”

Although they were not pictured on the red carpet, Hillary Clinton and her husband former President Bill Clinton were seen with congressman John Lewis and actress Jenifer Lewis at the event.

The Perry studios were revealed to be some of the biggest in the business, with director Ava DuVernay revealing on Twitter that the “studio lots of Disney, Warner Bros, Paramount, Fox and Sony could fit inside @TylerPerry’s studio lot at the same time - and there would still be 60 acres to spare”.

The twelve soundstages onsite were all named after black creatives including Halle Berry, Perry’s mentor Oprah Winfrey, Whoopi Goldberg Will Smith, Denzel Washington, Spike Lee as well as Cicely Tyson, Sidney Poitier, Harry Belefonte, Ruby Dee, Ossie Davis and Diahann Caroll. (Caroll sadly had passed away of cancer the day previously.)

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Some of those honoured with soundstages were in attendance, with Halle Berry arriving in a sleek menswear outfit and hat. On Twitter, videos of the event revealed that when her soundstage was unveiled at a sitdown dinner, a montage of her career highlights played to rapturous applause.

Soundstage honoree Will Smith also shared a video of him and Jada Pinkett Smith getting ready for the event, swapping out of pyjamas and onesies. In the video, Jada is seen wearing a sharp white tuxedo dress alongside Smith’s monochrome outfit with Jada commenting, “Yeah, we dress p nice. We clean up well.”

In the photo gallery shared by Will, the couple were seen partying with the likes of Oprah Winfrey, the Clintons and Spike Lee.

Oprah Winfrey, who was filmed by DuVernay earlier today at the studios on the verge of tears as a group of gospel singers blessed the property, was also in attendance. Wearing a navy gown, she was accompanied by her boyfriend Stedman Graham and close friend Gayle King.

(Elijah Nouvelage/Invision/AP)
Invision/AP

Later on in the evening, Perry said that Winfrey had been a huge inspiration to him after he had visited one of her house parties and said, “It was something about being in Oprah's house, being in her presence, seeing what a black person had accomplished — it really, really spoke to me.”

Tyler Perry
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Winfrey told The Hollywood Reporter on the red carpet, "Tyler is my little big brother. To see him rise to this moment that I know he's dreamed about, planned, defined, clarify for himself, it's just a fulfillment of a dream. It's wonderful to see."

Samuel L Jackson
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Another to be honoured was Samuel L Jackson, who was all smiles as he posed against the gala’s rose-filled backdrop. Donning his signature flatcap, he stepped things up for the occasion in a navy suit with black lapels and a bowtie.

Whoopi Goldberg with Alex Martin
Getty Images for Tyler Perry Stu

Whoopi Goldberg, who said there was “nothing better” than Perry opening the studios and being in control of his own destiny, also had a soundstage named after her. The View co-host was in attendance and smiled for cameras wearing an all-black ensemble alongside her daughter Alex Martin.

Spike Lee
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Director Spike Lee, another soundstage honoree, did double duty celebrating Perry as well as his love of the New York Yankees. His unusual outfit consisted of a Yankees cap, Yankees blazer, white trousers and matching round glasses.

Tiffany Haddish
Elijah Nouvelage/Invision/AP

Other high profile guests included a mix of actors, musicians and television personalities, with performances by Jennifer Hudson and Mary J. Blige taking place over the course of the night alongside a firework display.

One unexpected person to provide musical entertainment was Tiffany Haddish, who DJd the night away in a striking silver dress.

Usher
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Usher, who recently attended the wedding of his protege Justin Bieber and Hailey Baldwin, cut a dapper figure in a perfectly tailored suit with a crisp white collar.

Patti LaBelle
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Other musicians in attendance included Gladys Knight, 2 Chainz, Ludacris, Tyrese and Patti LaBelle; who is said to have been the first to rise to her feet to applaud Hudson following her performance.

Viola Davis and Julius Tennon
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Actress Viola Davis also attended with her husband Julius Tennon, looking radiant in a red strapless gown

Davis called the night “history” and said to The Hollywood Reporter, “It's an excuse to celebrate a historic moment which is a black artist taking control of their artistic life...what's happened with us historically is we're waiting for people to get us. We're waiting for people to throw us a crumb. That's not what Tyler Perry has done. I want to be able to look back on this and say ‘I was there.'”

Taraji P. Henson
Elijah Nouvelage/Invision/AP

Hidden Figures’ Taraji P. Henson was seen wearing a black dress with feathered embellishments.

Getty Images for Tyler Perry Stu

Actor David Oyelowo, best known for his work in Selma, was one of the best dressed stars on the night. Wearing a navy suit with a subtle shimmer, he paired the look with a whimsical starry bowtie.

Ava DuVernay
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Others to attend also included actor Terence Howard, director Ava DuVernay, Monica, American politician Stacey Abrams, American footballer Colin Kaepernick and more.

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