Tyler Perry Pays Tribute to Makeup Artist Charles Gregory, Who Died From Coronavirus

Tyler Perry paid tribute to famed makeup artist Charles Gregory, who died Wednesday due to complications from coronavirus.

Gregory, a stylist to the likes to Perry and Viola Davis, worked on films including “Vice,” “Zola” and “All Eyez on Me.”

“Today it’s with a heavy heart that I inform you of the passing of one of our crew members. Mr. Charles Gregory was a hairstylist that had worked with us for many years,” Perry wrote on Instagram. “The man was warm, loving and hilarious. We all loved to see him coming and hear his laughter. Charles lost his battle with COVID-19 today. It saddens me to think of him dying this way. My sincerest prayers are with his family.”

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Dear Black People, Today it’s with a heavy heart that I inform you of the passing of one of our crew members. Mr. Charles Gregory was a hairstylist that had worked with us for many years. The man was warm, loving and hilarious. We all loved to see him coming and hear his laughter. Charles lost his battle with COVID-19 today. It saddens me to think of him dying this way. My sincerest prayers are with his family. While everyone can contract this virus it is black people who are dying from it in much larger numbers. This thing is real, black people. I heard a black person say, “Black people don’t get it.” That is a lie! You can get it, and you will get it if we don’t do what we're being told to do. A 26 year old black woman died the other day, a 44 year old black man died the other day, not to mention the hundreds of people that are dying every few minutes. Your age does not matter!! Your health does not matter. You could be totally healthy, and you could die! Now listen to me. You have been right by my side since I started in this business, so please hear me with your heart. I LOVE US. I love our humor. I love our culture. I love our hair. I love our skin. I love everything about who we are. All of us. And I love us all too much to watch us die on the vine because we are the last to know and we are not taking this pandemic seriously. Black people, we are at a disproportionately higher risk of dying from this virus. Please, please, please, I beg you to take this seriously. You have to socially distance yourself. That means stop hanging out, stop congregating, stop doing anything that will put not only your life in danger but also the lives of so many others. STAY HOME!! Socially distance yourself and stay alive! If you won’t do it for yourself, do it for someone you love, and for those who love you. My Mother always told me to not wait for help! Be your own help!

A post shared by Tyler Perry (@tylerperry) on Apr 8, 2020 at 7:24pm PDT

Gregory most recently created Perry’s Colin Powell wig in “Vice,” and previously landed an Emmy nomination for his work on “Lackawanna Blues” in 2005. Perry and Gregory had previously teamed on “Madea Goes to Jail” and had continued to work closely at Tyler Perry Studios. Gregory was based in Atlanta, Georgia and launched his wig line, “The Renowned Wig Collection,” last year.

Perry added a plea, reminding black people to take the pandemic seriously.

“While everyone can contract this virus, it is black people who are dying from it in much larger numbers. This thing is real, black people. I heard a black person say, “Black people don’t get it.” That is a lie! You can get it, and you will get it if we don’t do what we’re being told to do,” Perry wrote. “Your age does not matter!! Your health does not matter. You could be totally healthy, and you could die!”

Director Ava DuVernay also offered her condolences on social media.

“God bless you and keep you in His Kingdom forever. You lit up every room you entered and every path you crossed,” she wrote on Instagram. “Thank you for your warmth and your wisdom and your wonderful spirit. Please watch over us and keep loving us. We will keep loving you and will never forget you. Your memory will be our blessing.”