Tyler Perry is tired of driving home from a long day of work only to see giant billboards looming over the roadway featuring messages from desperate actors trying to get his attention.
The famed director was unimpressed after an aspiring actress paid $2,000 for a giant billboard pleading with him to give her a job.
Racquel Bailey spent thousands of dollars for the billboard advertisements around Tyler’s sprawling movie and television studios at the site of the former Fort McPherson military base in East Point, near Atlanta, Georgia.
One billboard featured the actress’s headshot alongside the words: “Attention Mr. Perry, Racquel Bailey is your next leading lady.” She included her website and Twitter handle.
But the billboard didn’t get the desired response from the Madea star who took to Instagram to warn others not to follow Racquel’s lead.
Sharing a photo of the billboard, Tyler wrote: “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.”
He added Racquel specifically, writing: “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.”
Tyler stressed that anyone who wants to work with him can take part in a free audition. He concluded: “God bless you dreamer. I have no doubt you will make it one day!!”
Racquel has received positive responses to her billboard on social media. She explained her motivation in a pinned post on her Twitter page, which read: “My #LeapOfFaith. I’m just a mother wanting to show my children that I went for it all, that I chased my dreams. So one day, they’ll be able to do the same.”
On Wednesday, as news of the billboard went viral, Racquel posted a smiling selfie on Instagram and wrote: “Today is a day I’ll never forget. All this love and support I’m getting is definitely something I wasn’t expecting. So overwhelming and exciting at the same time. I hope I’m making my mommy proud up in heaven. #RacquelBailey #FaithJumper #LeapOfFaith.”
My #LeapOfFaith. I'm just a mother wanting to show my children that I went for it all, that I chased my dreams. So one day, they'll be able to do the same. pic.twitter.com/If2U3RaFkT
— Racquel Bailey (@ImRacquelBailey) May 7, 2019
