The Source Magazine sat down with “Tyler Perry’s A Madea Christmas” stars Tika Sumpter and Larry The Cable Guy to discuss their latest roles in the holiday comedy, which is now playing. 

Film Synopsis: Madea gets coaxed into helping a friend pay her daughter a surprise visit in the country for Christmas, but the biggest surprise is what they’ll find when they arrive. As the small, rural town prepares for its annual Christmas Jubilee, new secrets are revealed and old relationships are tested while Madea dishes her own brand of Christmas Spirit to all.

What is your favorite scene in the movie?

Tika: One of my favorite scenes is with Larry the Cable Guy and Kathy Najimy and Eric Lively, when I first meet his parents and they come out with raccoon tail and the moonshine and they are hugging me. All of their crazy antics and it was just a funny scene to be in. They were hilarious, so I didn’t have to do much in the scene. I just sat there and laughed.

How did you meet Tyler Perry? How different was it working on “A Madea Christmas” vs “The Haves and the Have Nots” with him?

Tika: I met Tyler a while back. I actually auditioned for another show years ago, but I didn’t get it and he was like “We are gonna work together one day….” and I was like “yeah right, he’s not gonna remember me…” and I saw him at the premiere of “Witness Protection” I think and he was like “Tika…?!” and I was like “Oh my God, you remember me?” After that, it was cool, and he came to the “Sparkle” premiere and we’ve been cool ever since and “Madea Christmas” is the first time I actually worked with him and it was probably one of the most joyous work experiences I’ve had because it was just easy, and fun, and fluid. We had no problems, which is weird for a set, but it was great. Everybody was just working hard together. The difference between that and the show “The Haves and the Have Nots,” there really is no difference, Tyler is just Tyler. It was just different because he was playing Madea at the same time as the other one, so when I first saw him in his Madea costume I was like “O my God, that’s insane, that’s really Tyler”. But I stay away from him when he is in his costume because he doesn’t like talking when he is in it. I think he feels odd or uncomfortable to talk with his lipstick on as if that is normal.

How did you celebrate Christmas growing up and were there any similarities to the Madea Christmas celebration?

Tika: I think there is a Madea in every family no matter what color you are. The is always somebody that has the attitude of “I’m gonna tell you the truth and I don’t care if you don’t like it!” but it is all about love. My mom is a Madea, smaller than Madea, but she is so funny and she tells the truth all the time. For me it was waking up Christmas morning and just opening gifts with my family, just spending time together really. Enjoying the day, and having dinner, just enjoying one another. That’s what Christmas is, warm and fuzzy.

So what are your plans for this Christmas?

Tika: I might go to North Carolina, that is where my mother is.

“Ride Along” is coming out in January. I am really curious if Keving Hart is that funny in real life ?

Tika: He really is naturally funny. I don’t know how he goes on and on and on like he does, but he just has so many ideas. I was just enjoying watching him work. I was letting him do all the funny and me just do what I do.

What about your character? Is she funny?

Tika: She is not. She is the only serious one. She is his girlfriend and she is in love with all of his quirky, weird characteristics and he wants to basically marry her. My brother in the movie, Ice Cube plays my brother, he doesn’t think he is good enough for me so he’s like… All right, you want to prove yourself? I’m taking you on a ride along, because he is a cop and he wants to see if he is worth his sister.

“A Madea Christmas Story” touches upon some serious issues. Have you ever experienced some of the difficulties your character deals with and what is your stand on interracial dating?

Tika: I’ve dated interracially before. I am an equal opportunity dater. If you treat me nicely, this sounds great. Regardless of skin color my mother has always been supportive, so I haven’t really run into any problems, but what I will say is that people around you might look at you differently. Everyday people. If you are hanging out with your man and you are in a happy land and suddenly the record stops. You are like what? I’ve had that happen to me, when everyone stopped talking all of a sudden.

And how is New York dating scene treating you?

Tika: Girl…I don’t know if I am just not putting myself out there, I don’t know what’s happening but I am single. People tell me I give off a vibe of someone who is taken.

What do you like to do when you are free?

Tika: I like to go to lounges, museums, exhibits. There are so many things about New York and there are so many things to do in New York that there is something to do all the time.

So how did you get along with your stage husband “Corner”?

Tika: Haha Corner…Connor was great! He is really professional and now one of my really good friends.

During “Sparkle,” did you get to know Whitney Houston?

Tika: Of course! She was like an open book. I wish I asked her more questions. She was as easy as us talking to each other right now. It was just so easy to be around her. No diva antics, we were all upstairs, listening to music, dancing, teaching her how to dougie…it was all goodness. She would just sit with us when we are on a break and talk.

And how do you deal with a “diva factor” when you run into it?

Tika: I just kill it with kindness. I feel that the attitude is more of an insecurity. It is not a real thing. I just try to be as kind as possible and if it doesn’t work I can say I tried, that is her issue not mine.

We also spoke with Tika’s costar Larry the Cable Guy!

What did you want to be when you grow up?

Larry: I wanted to be a kettle auctioneer. I grew up next to a kettle barn in a town of 1200 and since I grew up around all that I loved to listen to this auctioneer and I learned how to hear him talk and understand. If I wasn’t doing what I’m doing now, I’d probably be a kettle auctioneer. To be honest I’ll be glad, I didn’t because this job pays more. They are both fun, I must say.

What are you doing for Christmas, any plans similar to A Medea Christmas story?

Larry: Just me and my wife, and my kids. When I was a kid, we would go to my grandma’s house and spend Christmas Eve, we go to church on Christmas Eve. We always have the same food, ham, cheese sandwiches, chilly soup, oyster soup, than we open presents, and then we go to our house and then we open presents at our house…it was just awesome. Christmas is of course the greatest holiday. Well Christmas is all about the kids. Now I have kids, so its all about them. You stop getting presents once you grow up.

Can you see yourself having similar issues with your children in the future as Lacey (Tika Sumpter) and Conner (Eric Lively)?

Larry: In real life, it wouldn’t matter who were they married to. Let’s just say I have some family members that are married to certain people that we accept anyway. They are the same “color” it’s just their attitudes aren’t very good. So I am very tolerant when it comes to family.

Was this the first time for you working with Tyler Perry?

Larry: First time! He is awesome, great director, I enjoy working with him.

So you got along with everyone?

Larry: Who could not get along with me? Yeah, everyone was great. It was a good time, it was a fun movie to film.

And Kathy was a good “stage” wife for you?

Larry: She is a great actress, so I learned a lot from her. She would talk about the scene, she would give me tips on stuff, just vague things, but it was a lot of fun. I enjoyed working with her.

“Tyler Perry’s A Madea Christmas” is now playing.

-Tijana Ibrahimovic