Tyler Perry on Oprah in “The Six Triple Eight,” Madea

Tyler Perry and Oprah Winfrey have been friends for nearly two decades, but his latest film, Netflix’s The Six Triple Eight, marks the first time Perry has directed the cultural icon.

The film reveals the untold story of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, the only troop of black and women of color to serve in Europe during World War II. The 855 women of the “Six Triple Eight,” as they were known, made a critical contribution to the war effort—clearing a three-year backlog of mail (17 million pieces) and dramatically improving morale. Kerry Washington plays the force’s commander, Major Charity Adams, while Winfrey portrays famed activist, educator and civil rights activist Mary McLeod Bethune, who was influential in the Roosevelt administration and advocated for black women in the armed forces.

“I had to find the right fit for her,” Perry said diversity at the press conference for the film on Tuesday afternoon. “We’ve been friends for all these years, I knew we would work together at some point, but I wanted to find something worthy of her. Because she’s not a Madea girl. I don’t see her sitting there entertaining Madea.”

Perry made his first appearance on “The Oprah Winfrey Show” in 2001 (shortly before his success as a playwright turned into a blockbuster film and television career) and was a fixture in the early days of the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN) with successful shows. . like “The Haves and Have Nots.” But as he began developing the historic undertaking of Six Triple Eight into his 25th feature film, he realized it was time to call Winfrey.

“To have that moment where she is Mary McLeod Bethune and what Oprah represents to so many and what Mary McLeod represented to so many that day was appropriate,” Perry explained. The Oscar nominee also stars in scenes with Sam Waterston as President Franklin D. Roosevelt and Susan Sarandon as Eleanor Roosevelt.

At the red carpet premiere of “The Six Triple Eight” on Tuesday night diversity met with Winfrey and asked Perry if she thought she wasn’t interested in having fun with Madea.

“Never say never,” Winfrey replied as she was escorted to her seat at the Egyptian Theater in Hollywood.

“The Six Triple Eight” opens in select theaters on December 6th and begins streaming on Netflix on December 20th. Check out the trailer for the film below.