What To Know
- Mario Rodriguez, an actor from Boo! A Madea Halloween, has filed a lawsuit accusing Tyler Perry of multiple instances of sexual assault.
- The lawsuit alleges that Perry engaged in inappropriate touching during meetings about film roles.
- Perry’s lawyer has denied the claims, labeling them a “failed money grab,” and this lawsuit follows a similar sexual assault suit filed against Perry by another actor earlier this year.
Warning: The following post reports on allegations of sexual assault.
Mario Rodriguez, an actor who appeared in Boo! A Madea Halloween, has accused Tyler Perry of sexual assault, becoming the second person to file suit over sexual assault allegations against the filmmaker this year.
According to Rodriguez’s lawsuit — filed in California state court on Thursday and cited by The Hollywood Reporter — Perry recruited Rodriguez for a part in Boo! in 2014 and invited the actor to his Los Angeles home. That’s where Perry allegedly “put his hands on Mr. [Rodriguez’s] legs and began rubbing his inner thigh right next to his penis,” the lawsuit adds.
Then, in a 2016 meeting regarding Rodriguez’s possible involvement in Perry’s forthcoming projects, Perry allegedly grabbed the actor’s “leg right along his penis,” per the complaint.
In 2018, Perry met with Rodriguez about a role in The Oval but then allegedly “reached into Mr. Rodriguez’s underwear and grabbed his penis,” later apologizing and giving Rodriguez $5,000, the complaint claims.
And in 2019, Perry allegedly put Rodriguez’s hand on Perry’s penis and gave him another $5,000 after Rodriguez declined, according to the complaint.
Now Rodriguez is seeking at least $77 million, claiming sexual assault, sexual battery, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. He also alleges Boo! distributor Lionsgate turned a blind eye to the allegations against Perry.
Alex Spiro, a lawyer for Perry, denied the allegations in a statement to THR. “Having recently failed in another matter against Mr. Perry, the very same lawyer has now made yet another demand from more than a decade ago which will also be a failed money grab,” Spiro said.
Rodriguez’s lawsuit comes a little more than six months after Derek Dixon, a former star of The Oval, sued Perry for alleged sexual harassment and assault, seeking $260 million in punitive damages. At the time, Matthew Boyd, another lawyer for Perry, called that lawsuit a “shakedown” and a “scam,” per Variety.
If you or someone you know is the victim of sexual assault, contact the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network’s National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673). If you or a loved one is in immediate danger, call 911.