Brendan O’Carroll Interview: A Madea Homecoming

As the world plunges further into darkness, audiences everywhere could use a little more laughter. That’s exactly what A Madea Homecoming intends to bring to the table when it arrives on Netflix February 24. Though creator Tyler Perry appeared to bid farewell to the iconic matriarch after the theatrical release of 2019’s A Madea Family Funeral, he thankfully revived her just in time through the magic of streaming.

Reunions are always at the center of any Madea story, but this time there are two families reuniting instead of just one. Madea’s great-grandson Tim (Brandon Black, Dear White People) graduates, thus bringing the ever-growing number of uncles and aunts together. Since his best friend Davi (Isha Blaaker, The Flight Attendant) comes along for the ride, another mighty matriarch makes her way across the sea to congratulate him: Agnes Brown, of the long-running BBC series Mrs. Brown’s Boys. Brown is played by none other than Brendan O’Carroll, the Irish actor who became a UK sensation by originating the role.

O’Carroll spoke to Screen Rant about how Agnes Brown fits into Madea’s world, how much he enjoyed matching wits with Perry, and what his plans are for his Mrs. Brown next.

You are used to being the force of nature everyone must contend with as Agnes Brown, but now Agnes must contend with Madea. What is that meeting of minds like?

Brendan O’Carroll: Well, it really was a coming together of two storms. Madea very much is the powerhouse of her community, as is Agnes.

Initially, I thought, “I don’t know if this will work.” But once we started talking, even off screen as Tyler and Brendan, there was a chemistry there that was undeniable. You kind of went, “You know what? We’ve got to get these two women together.” It took five years – and Netflix, God bless them – to put us together and give us a story that we can have fun with.

While it’s so much fun to drop you into the middle of this huge extended family, the heart of Agnes’ story lies in the dynamic with her nephew Davi. Can you talk about the back and forth there, and how she feels about him growing up or moving away?

Brendan O’Carroll: Davi’s parents were lost in what we believe might be a motor accident, so he was reared by his grandfather – and the grandfather is the brother of Agnes’ ex-husband, who’s also dead. Nobody was there to attend his graduation, so I said, “Cathy, let’s you and I go over, and we’ll represent the family.”

But also, the agreement was that his granddad was getting too old to run the farm business, and that once he finished college, he would come back and run the farm business. So, she was going over to do two things. Number one: celebrate his graduation. Number two: make sure he came home to fulfill his obligation.

How much improv or collaboration did you get to do in the moment? I know that Tyler Perry’s obviously big on that. What’s your take on it?

Brendan O’Carroll: It was great. It was total freedom [to] go where you want and do what you want. I’d say 60% of what you saw on the screen was improv – particularly when Agnes and Madea sat down together. It was a roller coaster; it was just such fun.

And again, you’d be worried if you weren’t dealing with a genius – and he is a genius.

Hopefully American audiences will want to see more of Agnes Brown after this. Is there any chance that you’ll be crossing the pond more often?

Brendan O’Carroll: I think so. We’re planning a live tour of the live show on the East Coast of America and Canada for 2023.

Thank you. Have a great day.

Tyler Perry’s A Madea Homecoming lands on Netflix February 25.

About The Author

Tatiana Hullender
(641 Articles Published)

See also  'G.I. Joe 3' Writers Want to Bring The Baroness Back - Should They?

Tatiana Hullender is a writer at Screen Rant, focusing on film and television, as well as a co-host of several podcasts. In the interviews she conducts for Screen Rant, she seeks to learn what drives each creative mind and how different experiences influence the same narrative. As a graduate of Columbia University in New York City, Tatiana studied theater and comparative literature. She has been passionate about all manner of storytelling since being exposed to Jane Austen and BBC adaptations of her work all at once. But Regency satire of manners isn’t the only genre she loves, as a love of comic books naturally developed into a love of cinematic universes and their superheroes. So long as a story has heart and humor, there’s a chance of finding something to enjoy in the telling of it.
Visit @myrcellasear on Twitter to follow Tatiana’s articles, interviews and podcasts including: The Flash Podcast, Pop A La Carte and Ladies With Gumption. Subscribe to them on the Podcast app, or contact her directly at painted(dot)out(at)gmail.com.

More From Tatiana Hullender