Media mogul Tyler Perry is known to give actors their big breaks by casting unknowns for his stage plays, films, and television shows. His reputation has caused many aspiring hopefuls to use unorthodox methods in order to get his attention, including renting billboards on the side of the highway. A woman named Racquel Bailey is the latest actress who's gone lengths to work with Perry, but he issued a public service announcement telling people to stop doing this and just audition like everyone else.
Auhhh.... soooooo...... here’s the deal. This is not the way to get my attention if you’re looking for a role in one of my shows. Please DON’T DO THIS, SAVE YOUR MONEY!! This is the third time that someone has done this. PLEASE STOP! To audition is FREE!! I’m sure you can use that money for a better purpose. I love that you want to work with me, and I love that you invest in yourself. But when you do things like this it puts my team on high alert and makes me look at you sideways. I know the message that you want to send is a positive one, but this comes across as the opposite. Again, the best way to work for me is to AUDITION and it’s FREE! We post breakdowns all the time for actors. JUST COME AND AUDITION. And by the way, you were great in THE NIGHT OF! It was my favorite show a couple years ago. I ALREADY SAW YOU!! So just audition and keep your money!! Again, I appreciate your effort, but that’s not the way to work for me. God bless you dreamer. I have no doubt you will make it one day!!
Others in the industry co-signed Perry's sentiments by commenting on his post. Tina Lawson, Beyoncé's mother, said that because Perry's a "star maker," people will do anything to work with him. Marlon Wayans stated that "promotion is not skill," but pounding the pavement and shaping your craft, is. There were others who believed that Perry's message to the woman was rude, saying that he didn't have to call her out. Either way, she not only received the attention of the drivers who sped past her billboard, but of the world because Perry shared it with his nearly four million Instagram followers.