Being cast in a Tyler Perry production comes with more than just exposure.

Ask Jay Reeves, star of the new Netflix film Doing Life. Reeves’ first work with Perry came in the 2024 film The Six Triple Eight, where he played Private Hugh Bell.

Starring opposite Naomi Baker, Reeves plays Carousel in Tyler Perry’s Doing Life, which follows a single mother fighting to survive and a reformed ex-con who find a second chance in each other.

Reeves notes the built-in capital that comes from finding a creative collaborator to work with across different projects.

“As you keep working with the same people, whether a producer, a director, a writer, you start to understand that person and their language a little bit more,” Reeves told AfroTech Culture. “Mr. Perry is an incredible director, writer, and producer, and he also allows the actor to collaborate and bring your own self to it. That’s definitely something that will push you further.”

Baker is a newcomer to Tyler Perry’s world, and she’s excited for what this opportunity can lead to next.

“I am so honored to be a part of the Tyler Perry universe,” she said. “He is an amazing connection. So I’m really honored that he chose me for this. And honestly, I think it really is just how much he taught me on set, and how much I was able to understand the business, but also the creative side of this. I just want to go into my next opportunity with all of the knowledge and wisdom that he gave me, and so I’m really excited for that next opportunity to just take everything I learned from this set and bring it there.”

“Unconditional love is the main thing the movie taught me,” said Reeves. “And also not giving up on your partner, or whoever you choose to be with. You see throughout the film, Carousel does not give up on Anika.”

Baker added, “For me, it’s definitely that your past isn’t always an indication of your future, and so the mistakes that she may have made in past relationships don’t have to be put into this one because Carousel’s a different person, and he’s proved himself over time, so just really embracing that and stepping into that love.”

Doing Life is now streaming on Netflix.