This is one of the first projects you decided to campaign for that isn’t one of your own. You’ve also teamed up with Oprah. How did that all come about? Did you know Lee Daniels before this movie?

Never met Lee. I sent my team up to Sundance, and they found the film. I started a new film company, and I wanted to find some new filmmakers and really push them. They found a great film and brought it to me, and I was blown away by it because it was so close to my childhood and how I grew up. Mo’Nique’s character was so close to my father. I watched it and called Oprah and asked her if she’d seen it. She said, “I have it in my purse, I haven’t watched it.” She watched it, and she’s like, “Tyler, this is so great. I’m so glad you’re doing this because people will get a chance to see it.” I said, “More people will get a chance to see it if we did it together,” and she said, “Let’s do it.” That’s when it became Oprah Winfrey and Tyler Perry presents.

In addition to promoting the film, what’s Oprah’s involvement? Promoting it in her magazines?

All of that, as well as pushing it through the Website and asking people to see it. It’s what we bring, and I think what Oprah brings more than anything is she makes it not just a movie for black people. She makes it a movie that everybody will be invited to and feel comfortable going to. I can cover the black folks. I can cover us! It is amazing to see what she will be able to do with that, because the film is universal. There are little girls who grew up in trailer parks who went through the exact same thing who are not black. It’ll all work out.

When you’re introducing this film to your audience, how are you going to present it so they don’t think it’s your production?

It’s starting with a huge warning, saying, first of all, I did not write or direct the film. It is not a Tyler Perry film. It’s gonna start with that warning. I know I got the grandmothers and the seniors who will go and see it right away and think it is something I’ve written and they’ll bring all the kids to see it, but I need all of them to understand, and you can help me with this, that this is not a Tyler Perry film, and I would not suggest that they bring their children to see it. Once that is said, my next move is letting them know why I felt the need to get involved, and that is because of my own life story.

You said this movie had a profound effect on you because you saw parts of your life in it. Now that you and Oprah are behind it, is there anything you plan to change or to enhance?

Nothing, not a thing. I think it’s all Lee’s vision and what he wanted it to be from the very beginning. The only thing I suggested and was a little adamant about was Mary J.’s song being involved, called ‘I See Color.’ That was still Lee’s decision, so that was all Lee.