Tyler Perry Faces $77 Million Lawsuit for Alleged Sexual Assault from Actor

LOS ANGELES — Tyler Perry has been sued for sexual assault by Mario Rodriguez, an actor from “Boo! A Madea Halloween.” This suit marks the second legal action against the filmmaker in recent months, with allegations that he has misused his influence in Hollywood to make unwanted sexual advances.

Rodriguez filed the lawsuit in California on Thursday, claiming Perry made repeated unwelcome sexual advances over several years, including incidents of sexual battery and assault at his Los Angeles residence. He is seeking at least $77 million in damages and has also named Lionsgate in the lawsuit, alleging the studio ignored Perry's alleged misconduct.

Lionsgate has not yet issued a comment regarding the lawsuit.

Perry's attorney has denied the allegations. According to the complaint, Rodriguez was approached by a trainer at an Equinox gym in Los Angeles in 2014, who stated that Perry wanted his phone number for a potential acting role. Perry later encouraged Rodriguez to audition for the film, suggesting he would be beneficial to know.

After landing a role, Rodriguez was invited to Perry's home, where he claims Perry inappropriately touched him while they watched a movie. The lawsuit details multiple incidents from 2016 to 2019, including one where Perry allegedly attempted to unfasten Rodriguez’s pants and another where he allegedly placed Rodriguez’s hand on his genitals. Following these encounters, Rodriguez states that Perry gave him $5,000 on several occasions.

Despite resisting the advances, Rodriguez chose to file the lawsuit after hearing about similar claims made by another actor, Derek Dixon, who sued Perry in June for allegedly groping him while working on Perry’s television series “The Oval” and “Ruthless.” That case has reportedly moved from Los Angeles Superior Court to federal court in Georgia, where Perry's studio is located.

Rodriguez's lawsuit includes allegations of sexual assault, sexual battery, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.