Tyler Perry is back! This time, he’s behind the camera for an edgy new erotic thriller that drops on Netflix this week. Those who enjoyed steamy hits like Fair Play and even Gone Girl should certainly tune in for Mea Culpa, the legal drama set in Chicago, with big names like Kelly Rowland (Bad Hair) and Trevante Rhodes (Moonlight) in the lead roles.

Rowland plays an attorney in distress — and in need of some quick cash — as she takes a high-profile criminal case involving allegations against a mysterious artist (Rhodes). Watch out for twists and turns along the way as Kelly’s Mea juggles work, her bothersome in-laws, marriage, and sexual tension with her new client.

It’s relentlessly entertaining and reminds us how talented Perry, Rowland, and Rhodes all are. Plus, Chicago serves as a fresh new setting, and Mea’s character is such a rock star that one can’t help but imagine her tackling a new case in some sort of sequel. Perry wrote the script for Mea Culpa in addition to directing, and we recently caught up with the renowned filmmaker to learn more about this latest feature of his, working with the “gorgeous” Rowland and his other projects in the works.

The ‘Stunningly Gorgeous’ Kelly Rowland
Mea Culpa Release Date February 23, 2024 Cast Kelly Rowland , Trevante Rhodes , Kerry O’Malley , Sean Sagar , RonReaco Lee Runtime 2hr Studio Tyler Perry Studios

Those familiar with Perry’s on-screen filmography know he played a standout role in Gone Girl as the high-profile attorney who took on Ben Affleck’s character as a client. Perry’s Tanner Bolt is perhaps the strongest part of David Fincher’s 2014 crowd-pleaser. And with a legal drama like Mea Culpa now hitting the masses, one can’t help but picture Perry’s attorney persona fitting into this twisty storyline in some capacity. “Maybe that’s the sequel,” Perry joked while speaking with MovieWeb. He went on:

But for me, what was important is that I gave Kelly Rowland this moment to shine as an actress, to shine so that everybody can see how good she is and take people on this crazy, unexpected ride that twists and twists and makes you go, ‘What the hell’s going on?’ So that’s what I wanted to do.

Millennials will remember Rowland as one-third of the iconic Destiny’s Child back in the day, alongside Beyoncé and Michelle Williams. And ever since that musical group’s reign, Rowland has also kept busy on the big screen, with standout turns in classics like Freddy vs. Jason (where she was arguably the best actor among the cast) and Think Like a Man. So we had to ask Perry what it was like working with the seasoned actress:

“I just had to get over Kelly’s beauty first. I’ve known her for a long time. It’s really, really hard to not stare at her because she’s so stunningly gorgeous — makeup, no makeup, bad hair, good hair. She’s just a beautiful girl. And to have her and Trevante, who had so much chemistry… So to see them have this kind of chemistry on-screen and deliver the way they did, I think audiences are going to be really shocked and enjoy this thrill ride.”

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That Tyler Perry Documentary: ‘It Was Surreal’

News broke last week about Tyler Perry’s exciting first-look deal with Netflix, so it’s a treat to think about what’s next for the filmmaker beyond Mea Culpa. “I’ve got eight more movies to do with them, so I don’t know what I’m going to do, what story I’m going to tell next,” he told us. “It’s just whatever character shows up. If I think it’s interesting and there’s something to say there, we’re gonna follow that through.”

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Perry continued to detail his creative process in bringing uniquely thrilling stories like Mea Culpa to life on the big screen:

“The characters in my head, they show up and they want to talk, and they want to say things. And I write it down. Sometimes I’ll get up in the morning and somebody’s talking, and I’m just writing it down. And I never really know where it’s going. I don’t do an outline or things like that.”

Tyler Perry’s loyal fans have probably seen the recently acclaimed documentary about his life, released not too long ago and screened at the latest AFI FEST in Los Angeles. “It was surreal, and I felt out of body,” he told us. “I almost felt a sense of violation because I’m usually a character to hide behind. So this is my life, and I’m letting people in. I’m notoriously private about my son, my life. So to do that was really different, but I’m glad it did because it really spoke to a lot of people.”

Mea Culpa begins streaming on Netflix on Feb. 23. You can watch it through the link below:

Watch Mea Culpa