Tyler Perry issued a statement to social media after rumors circulated that actress Cassi Davis had died.

On Monday (Feb. 20), the filmmaker took to Instagram, sharing a screenshot of what appears to be a digital news article reporting her death, with red lettering in all-caps reading “this is a lie” on top.

“After I’ve gotten several calls from people giving me their condolences and I didn’t know what they were talking about, I was sent this article that’s going around,” wrote the acclaimed director. “I don’t know how she could have died and nobody told me or her. So I called her and asked her was she dead and she said hell no!”

He continued, “Can whoever is responsible for this please stop you better be careful when you speak death over a child of God. This woman is loved by millions and you’re hurting a lot of people. Cassi is fine living her best life with no worries, no cares, no social media, and no drama. She’s waiting to shoot the next season of House of Payne.”Davis, 58, is best known for her work in Perry’s television shows, plays, and films, including her role as Ella Payne in the aforementioned series House of Payne, Ella Kincaid in the 2006 play Madea Goes To Jail, and Betty Ann “Aunt Bam” Murphy in the Madea film franchise since 2010.Actor Palmer Williams Jr. who plays Floyd Jackson on House Of Payne also spoke out about the troubling rumors.

“Cassie Davis is NOT DEAD!!!!!” he wrote in the caption of a video where he reiterates “She’s very much alive.”