Richard Lawson on How Tyler Perry's Studio Sets an Example for the Financial Revolution Needed in the Black Community

Tyler Perry isn’t letting his foot off the gas, releasing his latest series, Beauty in the Black.

His latest project, part of his overall deal with Netflix, premiered on Thursday. The drama stars Taylor Polidore Williams, Crystle Stewart, Amber Reign Smith and Richard Lawson. Written, produced and directed by Perry, Beauty in Black is a two-part series, with the first part now available to stream.

The 16-episode series follows Divorce in the Black, which was a huge success on Amazon and also starred Lawson. "The Divorce in the Black was a character that I absolutely loved because he was such a positive Black man he was sort of the Black father that everybody should have," Lawson shared in an interview with The Quintessential Gentleman.

Lawson's latest role is different than all his other roles. Black in the Black centers around the lives of a wealthy Black family grappling with the consequences of ambition, greed and the fragility of relationships. Lawson plays a successful businessman drawn back into the family fold after a series of dramatic incidents that challenge his values and relationships.

“You’re going to have moments where you say, ‘Oh no, he didn’t!’ It’s a wild ride,” Lawson teased. Reflecting on Perry’s growth as a filmmaker, he said, “Tyler is good for creating those kinds of moments where it's so interesting. He's been doing this a long time and I think he's finding a new gear, a new stride...If you look at the stuff that he's producing, all the content – the kind of content has deeper roots. And it's making you think and feel more. And his loyal audience is going to find him and follow him no matter what."

When asked about the importance of Black stories, Lawson emphasized the significance of our culture. “It's really important to water the land and nourish the land and people's minds with a sense of Blackness,” he stated. He also highlighted the need for financial, social and political revolutions in the Black community.

"The kind of revolution that needs to take place right now is not a military revolution because we can't win that war. We don't have the firepower to win that one but we do have the firepower to control our destiny with a fiscal revolution, a social revolution, a spiritual revolution and a political revolution," Lawson shares. "We [Black community] generate two trillion dollars a year or more, which is equivalent to the 10th largest country in the world yet most of those dollars that we generate go out to buy other people's products."

Lawson also believes that Perry’s studio ecosystem exemplifies the kind of Black empowerment he wants to see more of in the industry.

"Money stays in our community for six hours. That's a big discrepancy...huge discrepancy. So when you look at Tyler who has created an ecosystem at his studio where when you drive on that lot, it's a pristine lot," Lawson shares. "He might have more people working in gardening in terms of caretaking and landscaping because it is a perfectly manicured lot. There's nothing in disrepair. The trucks are new. The buildings are new. There's majority Black people working. You go on a set and there's 85, 90 percent Black artists behind the scene and in front of the camera. And it's a family dynamic. You want to see more of that just in terms of what it feeds the black community financially."

As for his advice to young actors, Lawson stressed patience and preparation. “Don't be sucked in by trying to create immediate success. A tree grows in two directions at the same time; it grows down and it grows up. It growing,” he said.

He emphasized the importance of attitude, noting, “Attitude monitors talent. You want to work with someone that has a great attitude...In terms of their skill set... If they're good but they're not great, people would rather work with somebody who's good because they can be great and with that attitude they will be great."

Check out the full interview.