Tyler Perry is here for Hollywood.
The famous filmmaker recalled the beginning stages of his friendship with Meghan Markle when she and Prince Harry reached out for guidance following their exit as senior members of the British royal family in January 2020.
“I sent them a note … and just said, ‘If you ever need anything, I’m here,’ and she called months later and just talked to me like I was a therapist you talk to and we just had a great conversation,” he told Kelly Ripa on Wednesday’s episode of her “Let’s Talk Off Camera” podcast.
“It is very important for people in this business to have a safe place to land, to have a place where they can trust and talk freely and get advice that’s not going to be biased or from somebody who wants something from them,” he added.
Speaking more about what urged him to reach out in the first place, Perry said he “got the tremendous sense” that Markle’s journey in and out of royal life was “overwhelming” and wanted to be there for her and Harry.
After developing a friendship, the “Madea” creator eventually welcomed the “Suits” alum, 42, and Harry, 39, into his $18 million Beverly Hills abode.
“They hid out at my house for a long time. It was so great,” he enthusiastically noted.
“Every day. Every day that they were there, I looked to see if anything’s happening online. Nothing. They don’t even know, so weeks and weeks they were there,” he recalled of the paparazzi’s lack of knowledge of the couple’s whereabouts.
“They were so happy. It was such a beautiful moment.”
Four months after stepping back from their roles, Pvnew reported that they moved into the sprawling 22-acre estate.
At the time, Markle and Harry only had one child: Prince Archie, who was born in 2019. They went on to welcome their daughter, Lilibet, into the world in 2021 — after they purchased a $14 million estate in Montecito, Calif. — and they made Perry her godfather.
The “Sistas” writer, director and producer, 54, revealed during his chat with Ripa that he calls his royal goddaughter “Little Lili.”
“Oh, she’s so beautiful. She’s just so beautiful,” he gushed.
“They make beautiful babies — that’s all I’ll say. They make some beautiful kids. Archie and Lili are beautiful.”
Perry also said he only opened up about his relationship with Markle and Harry because they publicly spoke about it first.
Recalling her early conversations with him, Markle told The Cut in 2022, “Sometimes, you can tell your life story to a stranger on a plane as opposed to some of the people that are closest to you.”
