In entertainment, a celebrity hasn’t made it until there are either rumors about drug abuse, their death, or their sexuality. Producer, director and actor Tyler Perry has been surrounded by rumors of the latter since he transitioned from stage to screen. But, the media mogul isn’t the only one affected by the rumors, as it has extended to some of his male cast. Recently, The Haves and the Have Nots’ Tyler Lepley opened up about how gay rumors regarding him and Tyler Perry got started.
Tyler Lepley spoke on his career, life and everything in between with the podcast Angela Yee’s Lip Service. His star has been on the rise in recent years after landing his big break on Tyler Perry’s nighttime soap, The Haves and the Have Nots. As soon as the series premiered in 2013, the actor began constantly battling rumors of being in a relationship with Perry. Lepley spoke on the sexuality rumors with the podcast.
I remember when I first started out, I was seeing that here and there. For whatever reason, people were associating it with my first show.
Lepley elaborated more on how the rumors got started with the night soap, and even spoke about how the rumors have affected his latest work.
I came out on a Tyler Perry show, and like for whatever reason, he gets a rap like that. I know Tyler [Perry] personally, and he’s not gay. I was seen around him, and all of a sudden, ‘he’s rubbing off on me,’ and people felt like I was gay or something like that. I was on the set of P-Valley, maybe I was with [character Uncle] Clifford, I think I was taking a picture with Alphonse, who plays Lil Murda, and people started off with the [rumor] again. I think if you have a space people can’t figure out, they just tag you with whatever, they create a judgment.
Despite the gay rumors, both men have made statements and shown actions that contradict them. Lepley mentioned not being single, as he has been in a relationship with his longtime partner, and even spoke about the son they share. On the other end, Perry recently set the internet on fire with a workout selfie after breaking up with his longtime girlfriend.
But, not everything has been negative for Lepley as he continues to star in The Have and The Have Nots, currently airing its eighth season. He recently received rave reviews, and became a social media sensation, as Diamond on the acclaimed Starz stripper drama P-Valley.
You can check out Season 1 of P-Valley on Starz, but for more to watch in the coming weeks, be sure to check out our guide to winter/ spring 2021 premieres.
