Photos: The opening of Tyler Perry Studios was beyond star-studded

Everyone from Hank Aaron to Oprah to Beyoncé to Gladys Knight showed up at the black-tie gala

October 7, 2019

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Tyler Perry Studios opening Atlanta — Tyler Perry gives interviews at the opening of his new studio.

Tyler Perry marked the opening of his new, 330-acre Tyler Perry Studios at Fort McPherson, the only black-owned major film studio in the country, with a Saturday evening gala that brought a monumental number of stars. There were the Hollywood greats: Sidney Poitier, Oprah Winfrey, Samuel L. Jackson, Spike Lee, Halle Berry, Cicely Tyson, Whoopi Goldberg, Denzel Washington, Ava DuVernay. There were the local legends: Hank Aaron, John Lewis, Andrew Young, C.T. Vivian, Bernice King, Gladys Knight. Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms and former mayor Kasim Reed were in attendance along with Governor Brian Kemp and his former political rival Stacey Abrams. There were plenty of Atlanta celebrities: Usher, Jermaine Dupri, Will Packer, Ludacris, T.I., Jeezy. Beyoncé and Jay-Z were there. Will Smith, Tiffany Haddish, Don Lemon, Terrence Howard, Patti LaBelle, Anita Baker, Chris Tucker, Jill Scott, Taraji P. Henson, Evander Holyfield, Maxine Waters. And that seriously only scratches the surface. As Variety noted, “the guest list gave the event the feel of the Oscars, Emmys and Grammys combined.”

Here are a few photos from the black-tie event, just to give you a small glimpse of the star-studded night.