Mabel Earlene “Madea” Simmons (1931-2019)

R.I.P.

Jordan Simon | Shadow and Act

In an interview with Bevy Smith on her SiriusXM show Bevelations, Tyler Perry confirmed that his character of Madea would be making her final appearance very soon.

Perry says the character will make her final appearance in Tyler Perry’s A Madea Family Funeral. The film, which is set to be released on March 1, 2019, is the eighth film in the long-running Madea franchise. The character made her first film appearance in Perry’s 2005 directorial debut, Diary of a Mad Black Woman.

To commemorate Madea’s final appearance, Perry also said he intends to take the character on a stage tour, complete with appearances from the original characters and actors who’ve appeared in the film franchise.

“This is it,” Perry said. “It’s time for me to kill that old b***h. I’m tired! We’re gonna say goodbye in ’19. I just don’t want to be her age playing her.”

Perry’s latest film, Nobody’s Fool, stars Tiffany Haddish and hits theaters on November 2, 2018.

For more on Madea, visit her Wikipedia page.