Tyler Perry says Aretha Franklin requested he speak to her as Madea

Feb. 28 (UPI) -- Tyler Perry said on Late Night with Seth Meyers that the late Aretha Franklin once demanded that he speak to her as his character Madea.

"First time she called me, it was like 'This is Aretha Franklin.' I'm like 'Oh my god, how are you?' She's like 'I don't want to talk to you. I want to talk to Madea,'" Perry said on Wednesday.

"I'm like 'Well, you know she's not real.' She said 'I don't care, put her on the phone,'" the filmmaker, who did fulfill Franklin's request, continued.

"I just went for it," he said.

Perry hosted a tribute concert in honor of Franklin that features performances by Celine Dion and John Legend, among others. The special, titled Aretha! A Grammy Celebration For The Queen Of Soul, is set to air on CBS on March 10.

Perry is retiring Madea with the release of his latest film, A Madea Family Funeral which arrives in theaters on March 1.

"It's not her funeral but that old broad is dead man. I'm done," Perry said to Meyers. "She's been a good character, she's been a great franchise, it's done really really well but yeah it's time."

Perry also said that he is open to an actress portraying a younger Madea in a prequel.