Tyler Perry says he poured himself into work to avoid facing his grief and the trauma of his childhood

  

The holiday season always reminds Tyler Perry of his late mother Maxine. She loved Thanksgiving and reveled in celebrating Christmas with her family. She also died 15 years ago this month, a grief Perry said still visits him this time of year.

Grief shows up when it wants to,” he told CNN’s Anderson Cooper on this week’s episode of his All There Is” podcast, now in its third season. No matter what you think, no matter how much time has passed, it’ll show up.”