Listen Live
Fantastic Voyage Generic Graphics Updated Nov 2023
Black America Web Featured Video
CLOSE

Tyler Perry has hit a roadblock in his pursuit of movie making.

The filmmaker expressed interest in producing a film with Diana Ross, but apparently, she won’t return his calls.

“She’s been ignoring me for years,” Perry told "Essence" while promoting his latest movie, Madea’s Witness Protection. “She’s the only person that I have dreamed of working with that will not return my phone calls.”

But he does recall a time when they had a short conversation.

“That was it, she never called me again. She said, “No!” And that was it.”

He says not even having a close association with Oprah Winfrey can’t get her to call back.

“Not when it comes to Diana Ross,” he jokes. “You can be friends with Obama, Oprah, Trump — that is Diana Ross! So, no.”

Not all is lost, however. Perry has managed to get two other childhood idols, Maria Gibbs and John Amos, into his latest movie.

“To be around Florence from The Jeffersons and James [Amos] from Good Times… to stand in the presence of people that I’ve admired is amazing.”