Madea is back! Tyler Perry’s alter ego spends Halloween fending off ghosts, ghouls and zombies — and shrieking “Help me, Jesus!” — in his new flick, Boo! A Madea Halloween (in theaters October 21).
The Atlanta-based filmmaker, 47, scared up 25 interesting facts about himself exclusively for Us Weekly!
1. I’d rather be at home on the porch with my dogs [a German shepherd, three huskies and three Yorkies] than on a red carpet.
2. I sang “Play That Funky Music” onstage one night with Prince.
3. I’m an introvert.
4. I had a private tour of Air Force One.
5. I went to seminary school for a semester.
6. I’m allergic to small-minded people.
7. I have been trying to learn to swim for years.
8. My favorite pastime is flying radio-controlled planes.
9. I spent the summers with my grandmother in rural Louisiana, working in the fields.
10. I have a fear of tubes and tunnels. Going through any tunnel causes me great anxiety.
11. I’m a germophobe.
12. I was a minister in my church.
13. I tried marijuana for the first time at age 40 and never did it again.
14. I’m a huge loner.
15. I gave up being a pilot after my son [Aman, 22 months, with model Gelila Bekele, 30] was born. To be good at it, you have to fly a lot, and I couldn’t find the time.
16. I pray every day.
17. I love country music. Tim McGraw is my favorite.
18. I don’t know who my biological father is.
19. I am an architect at heart. I designed every home I’ve every had, plus my studio.
20. I’d rather live in a town where there are more trees than people.
21. I love Barry Manilow’s music, and he’s a fan of my OWN show, The Haves and the Have Nots.
22. I’ve been trying to learn to ski for years, but there’s something about being 6-foot-5 and falling that’s not appealing.
23. The best gift to give me is a handwritten letter.
24. I love to prank new employees. I’ve got to stop before someone ends up in tears.
25. Seven years after my mother’s passing, I still reach for the phone for a split second to call her. We spoke every day.