Tyler Perry plays the character Mabel “Madea” Simmons , a tough, loud, no- nonsense yet ultimately loving elderly Black matriarch in his Madea movies and stage plays.

Over the years, he’s also played multiple roles within the Madea franchise, often in the same film:

  • Mabel “Madea” Simmons – the main grandma figure he’s best known for.
  • Joe Simmons – Madea’s carefree, wild brother.
  • Brian Simmons – Madea’s more straight‑laced, lawyer son.
  • Heathrow Simmons – Madea’s paraplegic brother, seen in “A Madea Family Funeral.”

So if you’re asking “who does Tyler Perry play in Madea?”, the core answer is: he plays Madea herself, Mabel Earlene “Madea” Simmons, and in many of the movies he also doubles (or triples) as her relatives in the same story.