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Cicely Tyson - Veteran actress Cicely Tyson played Myrtle Simmons in Diary of a Mad Black Woman.  (Photo: Lionsgate)

Photo By Photo: Lionsgate

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Maya Angelou - Famous poet Maya Angelou played May in Madea's Family Reunion along with Cicely Tyson, who revisited her role as Myrtle. (Photo: Lionsgate)

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Gabrielle Union - Gabrielle Union played Julia Rossmore in Daddy's Little Girls, along with Idris Elba. (Photo: Lionsgate)

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Terri J. Vaughn - Terri J. Vaughn played Brenda, one of Julia's friends in Daddy's Little Girls. (Photo: Lionsgate)

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Tracee Ellis Ross - Tracee Ellis Ross played Cynthia, another one of Julia's friends in Daddy's Little Girl. (Photo: Lionsgate)

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Janet Jackson - Singer Janet Jackson played Dr. Patricia Agnew in Why Did I Get Married? (Photo: Lionsgate)

Photo By Photo: Lionsgate

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Jill Scott - Another singer, Jill Scott, joined Janet as Sheila in Why Did I Get Married? (Photo: Lionsgate)

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Angela Bassett - Legendary actress Angela Bassett played Brenda Brown in Meet the Browns. (Photo: Lionsgate)

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Sanaa Lathan - Movie star Sanaa Lathan played Andrea Evans-Bennett in Family That Preys. (Photo: Lionsgate)

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Keshia Knight Pulliam - Keshia Knight Pulliam, who played Rudy on The Cosby Show, played Candace "Candy" Washington-Collins in Madea Goes to Jail. (Photo: Lionsgate)

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Sofia Vergara - Modern Family's Sofia Vergara played T.T. in Madea Goes to Jail (Photo: Lionsgate)

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Taraji P. Henson - Taraji P. Henson played April, a singer with a drinking problem in I Can Do Bad All by Myself. (Photo:  Lionsgate)

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Mary J. Blige - Real life singer Mary J. Blige played a bartender and friend of April in I Can Do Bad All by Myself. (Photo: Lionsgate)

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Gladys Knight - Legendary Gladys Knight starred along with Blige and Hanson in I Can Do Bad All by Myself. (Photo:  Lionsgate)

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Janet Jackson - Janet Jackson starred in For Colored Girls, her third Tyler Perry movie. (Photo:  Lionsgate)

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Thandie Newton - British actress Thandie Newton played Tangie Adrose in For Colored Girls. (Photo: Lionsgate)

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Whoopi Goldberg - Whoopi Goldberg added to a stellar cast of African-Americans actresses in For Colored Girls.  (Photo: Lionsgate)

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Phylicia Rashad - The Cosby Show's Phylicia Rashad played Gilda in For Colored Girls. (Photo: Lionsgate)

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Kerry Washington - Scandal's Kerry Washington added more star power to Tyler Perry's roster as Kelly Watkins in For Colored Girls. (Photo: Lionsgate)

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Teyana Taylor - Teyana Taylor was in Tyler Perry's Madea's Big Happy Family as part of yet another generation of African-American actresses Perry has worked with. (Photo: Lionsgate)

Photo By Photo credit: Quantrell Colbert

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Lauren London - Lauren London is another young actress who has worked with Perry, having played Renee in Madea's Big Happy Family. (Photo: Lionsgate)