Who is Tyler Perry's son's mom? Meet model and filmmaker Gelila Bekele

Tyler Perry's ex-girlfriend, Gelila Bekele, is bringing the acclaimed director's life to the big screen.

Bekele, who is also the mother of Perry's son, Aman, is directing Perry's new documentary, "Maxine’s Baby: The Tyler Perry Story,” which is set to be released on Nov. 17.

In an interview with TODAY.com, Bekele said she wanted to make this film with her co-director Armani Ortiz to "capture the full story" of Perry's life and not just what fans have seen on on screen.

Bekele also noted that it wasn't difficult to make this movie after she and Perry split in 2020.

"You follow the story," the "Anbessa" producer said of putting their relationship to the side and focusing on the movie. "I think the privilege of having that front row seat for so many years gives you access, but as a filmmaker, there's a moral integrity of wanting to sort of encompass the unknown, as well as what you already know. So a lot of research has to go into it. Also, I feel like all my other films were preparing me for this and hopefully, by my next film I've learned a lot from making this one."

Bekele and Perry were together for 10 years before they called it quits. Although their love story would have been a nice addition for fans to see on screen, Bekele said she chose not to include herself or her love life with Perry in the doc.

As a filmmaker, she said this was the best decision.

"I wanted to take myself out of it, and just follow my curiosity and create a space for polarity where his critics and his fans can sort of share their truth," she said.

In "Maxine's Baby," Perry speaks about his life growing up in New Orleans and later making it big in Atlanta. While viewers will see shots of Perry's son in the film, there is no mention of Bekele or the romance they once shared.

In fact, Bekele said she and Perry also made the decision to not include clips or photos of their son Aman's face in the film. By doing this, they hoped to "let him grow up" outside the bright lights of Hollywood and "be a child."

"Fatherhood is a big part of the story so to not have Aman in the film would have been awkward," she said. "But also, everybody's parenting skills are different, and for me, privacy is something I hold dearly."

"Privacy is precious," she added. "Once you open that door (there) is no going back."

Read on to learn more about Perry's ex-girlfriend Gelila Bekele.

Gelila Bekele is a model

According to Bekele's official website, the dark-haired beauty was once signed to Ford Model Management.

The site states that Bekele pursued a modeling career once she settled down in New York City after college.

Bekele's career allowed her to travel across the globe gracing the covers of magazines — and she did this until 2013 when she got behind the camera and started to pursue her next passion, which was directing.

In a 2011 interview with Tadias Magazine, Bekele recalled her modeling career and said it really taught her a lot about the world.

"You grow up so quickly. You're traveling from one place to another and you're learning languages you never knew, cultures, you're away from family so you grow up and you learn and it's one of those situations where you say to yourself, I haven't changed, but I'm not the same. So it opens your eyes to so many amazing things," she said.

Gelila Bekele is a published author

In 2016, Bekele published her photography book, "Guzo," which shows the beauty of Ethiopia.

In English, Guzo means journey.

"I created Guzo for curious and like-minded people, for Ethiopians like myself who are raised abroad, and for my own children — who I hope will one day have the opportunity to experience living the pure, harmonious and profound existence of Ethiopians," Bekele said on her website.

"On the pages of 'Guzo,' you will view a day in the intimate lives of six tribes — the Hamar, Tigray, Afar, Raya, Harrar, and Lasta Lalibela peoples — from their customs, culture, traditions and religious practices — to their dwellings, agricultural work and the startling landscape upon which they roam," she added.

The model also said that she came up with the idea for Guzo when she traveled to the rural areas of Ethiopia in 2007.

"The project took shape while filming a documentary about Ethiopia’s water crisis with an all-female film crew," Bekele explained.

Gelila Bekele is a documentary filmmaker

According to Bekele's IMDb page, she started her narrative and documentary film career in 2013.

In 2017, Bekele released a 6-minute documentary clip, "The Model Activists," which featured 10 models, who spoke about the importance of giving back to their communities and helping others in need.

Then, in 2019, she released two more projects, "MAi: Life is not Honey" and "Anbessa," which both debuted at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival.

Now, Bekele is onto her latest project, "Maxine's Baby: The Tyler Perry Story," which is set to be released on Nov. 17.

Gelila Bekele is a humanitarian

According to Bekele's official website, she describes herself as "a fierce advocate for young women's right to equal opportunities, in her homeland of Ethiopia, and abroad, with focus on fundamental rights, including access to clean water and education."

In 2014, Bekele took her activism to new lengths when she started supporting Charity: Water, a nonprofit organization that "brings clean and safe water to people around the world," the company says on its website.

In an interview with the organization, Bekele revealed what water means to her and she said it's one of the most important substances in the world.

"Where do I begin," she said. "We are powerless without water. I am! Our life revolves around water. It’s a necessity most of us take for granted. I saw it firsthand traveling to my homeland. Most families don’t have enough water to cook with or drink."

"Young girls don’t go to school because they have to walk 4-5 hours a day to get water," she continued. "Lack of water has a profound effect on the health and growth of a society."

Gelila Bekele is a proud mom of one

Bekele and Perry share their 9-year-old son, Aman, together.

In an interview with TODAY.com, Bekele talked about co-parenting their son and she said that even though she and Perry have split, she'll always see themselves as a family.

"We're a family and he's an incredible father," she said.

Bekele also noted that it's great to see the loving way that Perry interacts with their child.

"Love is at the core of this film. And to see the joy in (Aman's) face when papa comes in the room — it's just, it's a universal language, like, love is our food as human beings," she said.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com