Tyler Perry has spent years making fans question marriage without answering his own biggest question: “Why Did I Get Married?” He recently flipped the script and answered it off-screen. A TikTok couple from New Orleans were invited to a screening of his new movie, “Why Did I Get Married Aga in?” The entire cast, including Tasha Smith, Michael Jai White, Lamman Rucker and newcomer Taraji P. Henson, attended the event, which later turned into a surprise vow renewal. Tyler Perry surprises New Orleans TikTok couple Rita and Theo Smith with an intimate ceremony for their 45th wedding anniversary. (Photos by Dia Dipasupil/FilmMagic; Rita Smith/Facebook) Rita and Theodore “Theo” Smith had no idea Perry planned a surprise wedding ceremony to celebrate their 45th anniversary. As far as they knew, the assignment was simple: watch the movie at the Los Angeles premiere on Sept. 8 and go home. Their daughter knew better, as she had been keeping a secret for weeks. ‘The Seniors…Will Not Lose Their Homes’: Tyler Perry Donates Millions to Help Keep Atlanta Seniors In Their Homes Amid Studio’s Success Footage shows the Smiths being led outside to a rooftop terrace lined with pink and cream roses. Perry stood under the arch in a soft blue suit, holding a folder awaiting their arrival. He was not there as a guest. He was there to marry them again. In a video Rita posted to her social media pages on Sept. 11, Perry walks the couple through their vows as their daughter stands as a witness. Theo, in a black-and-white patterned suit, holds his wife’s hands.  Rita, in white with a bouquet, gets about as far as “I do” before her knees completely give out on her. She began to sink toward the ground while her husband attempted to catch her. She shared the news that Perry surprised her and her husband with a “private, intimate vow renewal” on the day of the premiere. She thanked him for “honoring and reaffirming the love and commitment we’ve shared for 45 years. TYLER PERRY renewing our vows?! THIS IS HISTORY!” Rita wrote on Facebook. The clip went viral soon after various social media pages reposted it. Most comments hilariously reacted to Rita hitting the floor when she saw Perry. “One thing about old people they so dramatic and extra,” one user joked. “Girl get up,” another added.  “The Lord swept in that wedding and knocked Mother flat out!” A third wrote.  “Always collapsing, get up Rita!” another user shared. One person commented, “Mrs Rita you clowned on those people’s rooftop I’m here for it!!!” Not everyone was joking. “This was nice. Tyler Perry invests in the Black community. He helps those elderly, and those in need when they are on the verge of homelessness or health crisis,” another wrote. For anyone meeting the Smiths for the first time, that last comment lands hardest. Rita, who is 64, and Theo, 66, grew up on the same street in New Orleans. She was 14 when he started coming around; at 17 he had his mind made up. They married at 19 and 21, raised three children, per TODAY. They became famous by accident. In late 2023, their daughter pushed Rita to post about their marriage. “Auntie Riri” — @badgirlriri504 — took off almost immediately with frank, funny, unbothered videos about keeping romance alive after 40 years. Her content covers lingerie shopping, date nights, and refusing to let a marriage go stale. By their 43rd anniversary, they were sitting on “The Jennifer Hudson Show.” Today, Rita has more than 570,000 TikTok followers and roughly 400,000 on Facebook. Fans know something casual viewers might miss: Rita and Theo spent much of their marriage in hospitals. Rita was diagnosed with endometriosis at 23. She underwent a hysterectomy at 25, and later survived endometrial cancer. Theo has previously described his wife’s health battles as the hardest parts of their lives. “Many times, when women get sick, the men always leave,” Rita told TODAY. “He didn’t leave me. He stayed by my side.” It hasn’t stopped. Throughout this year, Rita has posted openly about ER visits, an autoimmune flare-up that her doctors were still working to pin down, and a major surgery that put her in the hospital for three weeks and required roughly six months of wound care to recover from. She now folds health advocacy into the page that made her famous for marriage advice. She repeatedly urges followers to get checked. That’s why the rose arch at the vow renewal carried deeper meaning for longtime followers. Meanwhile, Perry has been on quite a run when it comes to giving back to his community. He recently showed his support to an 81-year-old woman after reportedly paying off a nearly $18,000 lien on her home following an insurance claim denial. He also offered to provide an additional $25,000 to help her recover. In March, the Madea creator also donated $250,000 in Visa gift cards to TSA workers at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport during the partial government shutdown, giving approximately 250 workers $1,000 each. And in 2023, Perry pledged $2.75 million to help low-income Atlanta seniors facing property-tax burdens. And the movie he was promoting that night ends, like the two before it, with a couple deciding to stay together. The Smiths had answered that question 45 years ago. Tyler Perry’s Surprise for TikToker Rita Smith Crashing to the Floor as Fans Learn the 45-Year Love Story Behind the Viral Moment ...read more read less