Tyler Perry is facing a $77 million sexual abuse lawsuit
Tyler Perry is facing a new $77 million sexual abuse lawsuit, just months after a previous legal complaint was filed against the filmmaker.
The latest lawsuit was filed in California on Thursday, December 25, by Mario Rodriguez, a model and actor who had a small role in Perry’s 2016 film Boo! A Madea Halloween.
Rodriguez claims Perry groped him without consent and subjected him to repeated unwanted sexual advances, RadarOnline.com reports.
Perry, 56, has denied the allegations and characterized the lawsuit as an attempt to extort money. Perry’s lawyer Alex Spiro said: “Having recently failed in another case against Mr. Perry, the same lawyer has now reintroduced a claim from over a decade ago in what will also be a failed money grab.”
Rodriguez is represented by attorney Jonathan J. Delshad, who also represents actor Derek Dixon in a separate lawsuit filed against Perry earlier this year.
According to reports, Delshad said that Dixon’s lawsuit is “alive and well, and neither [his claims] have failed; they were just moved to another court,” referring to the transfer of the case from California to Georgia.
According to court documents, Dixon accused Perry of “escalating sexual harassment, assault and battery, and professional retaliation at the time.” [Dixon] did not return Mr. Perry’s unwanted advances. Perry denied those claims at the time, with one of his lawyers calling them “fabricated.”
In the newly filed lawsuit, Rodriguez also names Lionsgate Films as a defendant and is reportedly seeking $77 million in damages. Rodriguez claims his interactions with Perry began in 2015 after he was approached by a trainer at a Los Angeles gym who told him Perry was interested in talking to him. Rodriguez later spoke with Perry by phone and was subsequently cast in a minor role Boo! A Madea Halloweenwhere he was credited as Frat Guy #10.
Rodriguez claims that Perry invited him to his home several times over the years to discuss potential work opportunities.
According to the lawsuit, Perry had been drinking at a meeting in 2015 when he allegedly began making sexual advances. Rodriguez claims Perry rubbed his shoulders and said, “Man, I love your shoulders,” before making “sexual grunting noises” while touching his chest and shoulders.
The lawsuit further alleges that Perry “seized” in November 2018 [Rodriguez’s] p—-“, despite repeated requests to stop. Rodriguez claims he had to “physically struggle to get away” and claims Perry told him to “let it happen”, adding: “If you would just be with me, I would take care of you….”
According to the complaint, Perry later apologized to Rodriguez and paid him $5,000 before firing him.
Rodriguez claims his last meeting with Perry took place in April 2019. “More than ever before, it was clear that Mr. Perry would do whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted, with whomever he wanted, no matter how many times he was rejected,” Rodriguez claims. He claims Perry continued to contact him until 2024, sending text messages saying he had “done so much to help Rodriguez” and felt “betrayed” after learning of the lawsuit.
Rodriguez also claims that he never received additional acting work from Perry after allegedly rejecting his advances. In a Dec. 13 Instagram video, Rodriguez referenced sexual abuse by “a very big director, a very powerful person who everyone knows,” saying fear kept him quiet for years. He urged his followers to “stay tuned” for further details.
