it should be clarified that some of these actors donned the make-up as part of the film's story, ie the character is playing dress-up, not just the actor. for example Martin Lawrence's character in Big Momma is called Malcolm, Malcolm is an FBI agent who dresses up and impersonates an elderly woman called Hattie Mae "Big Momma" Pierce in order to get close to her granddaughter who is linked to a bank-robber he's trying to catch. In the sequels Malcolm reuses the "Big Momma" persona as a cover for whatever FBI case he's working on. This is different from Tyler Perry's portrayal of Mabel Earlene Simmons, aka Madea. An elderly black woman in the Madea-film franchise. Madea is in-universe clarified to be a biological female. So even though Tyler Perry is dressing up as woman, in the film's universe, Madea is not "a man in a wig and dress".
Forgot Wesley Snipes (Noxeema Jackson) and John Leguizamo (Chi-Chi)
Such wonderful play
it should be clarified that some of these actors donned the make-up as part of the film's story, ie the character is playing dress-up, not just the actor. for example Martin Lawrence's character in Big Momma is called Malcolm, Malcolm is an FBI agent who dresses up and impersonates an elderly woman called Hattie Mae "Big Momma" Pierce in order to get close to her granddaughter who is linked to a bank-robber he's trying to catch. In the sequels Malcolm reuses the "Big Momma" persona as a cover for whatever FBI case he's working on. This is different from Tyler Perry's portrayal of Mabel Earlene Simmons, aka Madea. An elderly black woman in the Madea-film franchise. Madea is in-universe clarified to be a biological female. So even though Tyler Perry is dressing up as woman, in the film's universe, Madea is not "a man in a wig and dress".
You mentioned a very subtle point. Thanks for all this information
And yet they played the cross gender anyway
Glenn close nailed it as a man
impressive play