Watch This: Tyler Perry Is ‘Alex Cross’

Until the screenplay for ‘Madea: The Dementia Years’ is drafted, fans of Tyler Perry are learning to become familiar with the actor-director-mogul taking on more serious roles. It’s not polite to point and laugh.

In his upcoming film role, Perry butches it up a notch by losing his silver fox lace front and sporting the mens warehouse suit of Cheryl Miller detective Alex Cross, which was previously played by Morgan Freeman.

‘Alex Cross’ opens Friday, October 19th and features a cast including Giancarlo Esposito, Matthew Fox, Ed Burns and Black Twitter’s favorite greasy greasy granny Cicely Tyson.

Perry, who graces the November 2012 issue of Essence magazine, beat out Idris Elba among others for the role in the coming eponymous film.

In his cover story, Perry elaborates on his upcoming film role, praises Black Women and takes a serious tone when discussing the late Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston.

“Perry tells the mag about a conversation he had with Whitney Houston on the night Michael Jackson died. Perry, concerned that Houston was on the same path, asked the late songstress if he could come over and console her,” reports The New York Daily News.

Perry continued on with his story, recalling Nippy saying “I am a mother, I have a daughter and I want to be clear: Ain’t no man coming over in the middle of the night.”

Unless his name was Ray J. Check out new clips from ‘Alex Cross’ below.