AUSTIN, Texas – As actor and producer Tyler Perry considers retiring his character Madea for good, a local entertainer is donning the iconic dress and wig.
- Austin Madea gets a shout-out from Tyler Perry
- Has been playing the character for 10 years
- Uses the character to make people smile
Howard Griffin first put on the Madea wig at 9 years old for Halloween. Now, 10 years later, he is entertaining audiences with the same costume.
“People they like the mannerisms and the similarities so I was like OK, I'll keep doing it,” said Griffin.
As Griffin grew up in northeast Austin, so did the demand for his version of the character made famous by Perry. Griffin has played Madea across the country, making appearances at college events, family reunions, and costume parities.
The real Madea even gave Griffin a shout-out for his portrayal.
“He saw me as Madea and he said, ‘You do a good job. I've been watching you on Instagram.’ I was like, 'Oh my God! You've been watching me play you,'” said Griffin.
Griffin said it was a sign of respect from a fellow Madea that knows firsthand the struggles of wearing the wig. The Madea transformation begins with 35 minutes of makeup, and then gluing the wig into place.
“It can be a little tedious sometimes but it's well worth it,” said Griffin.
Even though the Austin Madea is making a name for herself, she said she does it for the people.
“It's very near and dear to my heart to be able to come out to stuff like this and do stuff for good people that go through hard times. So it's good to lighten the mood up a little bit take the clouds away let a little light shine through,” said Griffin.