Tyler Perry donates $1 million to Harvey relief efforts - with $250,000 going to controversial pastor Joel Osteen

Generous gift: Tyler Perry shared a Facebook video Thursday to announce he is donating $1 million to Harvey relief efforts

Tyler Perry is the latest celebrity to chip in with a substantial donation to Hurricane Harvey relief efforts.

The writer, actor and director posted a video to his Facebook page Thursday in which he announced he plans to give $1 million to help those in need in Houston.

He also used the video to defend pastor Joel Osteen who has come under fire for not opening up his megachurch sooner to those in need of shelter.

And to show his support for Osteen, he said he's giving $250,000 of the one million to the Lakewood evangelist.

'Let me tell you something - Joel and Victoria are amazing people,' Perry said. 'There's no way they would lock people out of their church and not let people in for shelter.

He repeated Osteen's claim of 'safety concerns' and said when he spoke with the pastor on the phone 'it all made perfect sense to me.'

He then berated Osteen's critics for rushing to judgement.