Tyler Perry is taking Netflix to church. Tyler Perry's The Gospel of Christmas, a faith-based musical drama Perry wrote, directed and produced, is streaming on Netflix starting today, Wednesday, Nov. 11.
Perry premiered the film Monday night at the Tabernacle in Atlanta, where it was mainly shot, WSB-TV reported. He told the station he made it to lift people up: "I want to do something to make everybody just feel good and pray." Perry said the venue meant something to him because his career started nearby, at the 14th Street Playhouse. Gov.-elect Keisha Lance Bottoms, who recently added Perry to her transition team, was among the guests.
A gospel lineup built for the holidays
Durrell "Tank" Babbs plays Isaac, a struggling pastor who inherits his family's church in a New York City neighborhood and has until Christmas to save it, his family and his community. Fantasia Barrino Taylor plays his wife, Rebecca, whose faith anchors him.
The supporting cast reads like a Stellar Awards roll call. Fred Hammond plays Abraham, Ann Nesby plays Sarah, Pastor Shirley Caesar plays May, Hezekiah Walker plays Matthew, Yolanda Adams plays Gloria and CeCe Winans plays Mrs. Johnson, according to Netflix's cast list as reported by The Hype Magazine. The Clark Sisters, Jacky Clark Chisholm, Twinkie Clark, Dorinda Clark-Cole and Karen Clark Sheard, also appear. Smokie Norful, Jekalyn Carr, Vanessa Bell Armstrong, Le'Andria Johnson, Chanté Moore and John Gray round out the lineup.
Kirk Franklin produced the music. The film runs 1 hour, 43 minutes and is rated TV-PG.
Perry has said the project grew out of songs that carried him through rough times. Off screen, he told WSB-TV he has bought property in Puerto Rico and will work there for a while, but that "Georgia's still gonna always be home," and his studio is staying in the state.
Cup of Soul first reported the film's gospel casting in January.
