Homeless starving artist turned Hollywood honcho Tyler Perry and the epitome of the American dream also known as Oprah Winfrey have a lot more in common than most of us realize. In addition to becoming uber-successful in their chosen fields, the dynamic duo actually bond over painful pasts, according to People.com. Perry recently revealed his childhood traumas in a letter to his fans on his Web site. But Perry's revelations follow in the path of one of his key inspirations – Oprah Winfrey – making their partnership on the fim "Precious", which opens November 6, a fitting one.

After suffering depression and attempting suicide as a teenager, Perry was working an office job nearly 20 years ago when he saw an episode of "The Oprah Winfrey Show" that would change his life. In it, Winfrey talked about how writing down one's experiences could be cathartic. He followed Winfrey's advice and decades later has become one of the most sought after directors in the entertainment biz.

But Perry never got to work with Winfrey, the woman who served as an early inspiration to him, until this year when they both fell in love with the same movie. The movie has special meaning for both Perry and Winfrey. Throughout her career, Winfrey has revealed that she endured mental and physical abuses when she was growing up. Now, Perry and Winfrey are working together on a project they hope will bring inspiration to thousands of girls.--BB