The Tyler Perry lawsuit is heating up again, but the latest fight is not centered on the original sexual assault allegations. This time, Perry claims his accuser, Mario Rodriguez, is using questions about the filmmaker’s sexual orientation and a dispute over his deposition to pressure him into paying a multimillion dollar settlement.
According to TMZ, Perry’s legal team filed new court documents responding to Rodriguez’s claim that the filmmaker refused to sit for a deposition unless Rodriguez’s attorneys agreed not to ask whether Perry is attracted to men. Rodriguez previously asked a judge to compel Perry’s testimony and sanction him for allegedly failing to appear.
Perry’s attorneys are pushing back hard on that narrative. According to MyNewsLA, the defense says Perry had already agreed to sit for a deposition on December 9. His lawyers argue that Rodriguez filed his motion even though a date, time and location had already been discussed.
The filmmaker’s team claims the timing was no coincidence. Perry’s lawyers allege Rodriguez raised the possibility of a multimillion dollar settlement after the deposition arrangements were made. They claim Rodriguez filed the public motion after Perry rejected the proposal.
No exact settlement amount has been publicly confirmed. Perry’s attorneys have only described the proposal as being worth multiple millions of dollars.
In the new filing, Perry’s team accuses Rodriguez of attempting to damage his reputation and create enough public pressure to bring him to the negotiating table. Perry maintains that he will not be bullied into resolving the lawsuit through a settlement simply because private questions about his personal life could become part of the public court battle.
The fight over Perry’s sexual orientation has quickly become one of the most controversial parts of the case. Perry claims Rodriguez holds the “backwards belief” that he should “be embarrassed to answer questions about his sexual orientation.”
The filmmaker insists that he is not embarrassed. However, his attorneys argue that the question itself is irrelevant to whether the alleged assaults occurred. They contend that Rodriguez is attempting to connect a person’s sexual orientation with a greater likelihood of committing sexual assault. Perry’s filing reportedly describes that idea as a “bigoted stereotype.”
Perry’s lawyers argue that either answer could unfairly prejudice a future jury. They claim that denying an attraction to men could turn the case into a public examination of whether Perry is telling the truth about his sexuality. They also argue that saying he is attracted to men could expose him to existing bias against gay men and improperly influence how jurors evaluate the evidence.
Rodriguez’s attorneys have offered a different account of the deposition dispute. According to an earlier report, attorney Jonathan Delshad said he had been attempting to schedule Perry’s deposition since April 14. Rodriguez’s side claims Perry’s attorneys repeatedly made commitments before changing their position.
Delshad also claims Perry’s legal team demanded that Rodriguez’s attorneys agree not to ask whether Perry is, or has ever been, sexually attracted to men. Rodriguez offered to skip questions about Perry’s sexual preferences if Perry would formally acknowledge having an interest in men before meeting Rodriguez. Perry’s lawyers rejected that proposal.
Rodriguez wants the court to order Perry to appear for the deposition and produce requested documents. He is also seeking $7,370 in sanctions. Perry has responded by asking for approximately $7,300 in sanctions against Rodriguez for what his team characterizes as an abuse of the discovery process.
A hearing regarding the deposition motion is scheduled for July 22. A judge has not ruled that Perry improperly avoided the deposition, and no ruling has been issued regarding either side’s sanctions request.
The latest filing adds another layer to the Tyler Perry lawsuit, which Rodriguez filed in California in December 2025. According to the Associated Press, Rodriguez appeared in Perry’s 2016 movie “Boo! A Madea Halloween” and is seeking at least $77 million in damages.
Rodriguez alleges that he met Perry after a trainer at a Los Angeles gym shared his information with the filmmaker about a possible acting opportunity. Rodriguez claims Perry later subjected him to unwanted sexual advances during encounters that allegedly occurred over several years.
The complaint includes allegations of sexual assault, sexual battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Rodriguez claims Perry touched him without consent during private encounters and gave him money following some of the alleged incidents.
Perry denies every allegation of wrongdoing.
The financial relationship between the two men has also become part of the defense. Messages showed Rodriguez contacting Perry years after some of the alleged encounters while expressing gratitude, friendship and financial distress. Perry’s team argues that Rodriguez maintained contact and later brought the case after Perry stopped providing financial assistance.
Rodriguez has rejected that interpretation. He has argued that survivors can remain cordial with people they accuse of abuse, particularly when power, financial support and career opportunities are involved.
Those competing accounts have not been tested at trial. Perry has not been found liable for any of Rodriguez’s allegations, and the lawsuit remains active.
For now, the most immediate battle in the lawsuit is whether Rodriguez can question Perry about his attraction to men and whether the deposition dispute was a legitimate attempt to obtain testimony or a strategy designed to force a settlement. Perry’s message in the new filing is clear. He says he is willing to testify, he is not ashamed of questions about his sexual orientation, and he is not paying to make the case disappear.
Looks to me that Mr. Rodriguez wants to prove to the court that Mr. Tyler Perry sexual orientation is important , to which will prove that he is gay, but that is no-one business. Is this case Mr. Tyler Perry flirting with Mr. Rodriguez was it wrong or not. If you accuse someone of flirting with you and you stand there and take it and you an adult then what wrong. What crime did Mr. Tyler Perry committed, I would like to know. Rodriguez is only trying to make his case strong, if Mr. Tyler Perry reveal his sexual orientation, when in fact , whomever he sleep with is no one business. I like ice cream should I be force to tell what kind of flavor no !, Mr. Rodriguez need to prove his case and it sound like it very weak , I know Mr. Tyler Perry will not tell the court his sexual preference , that if for Mr. Rodriguez to prove without a reasonable doubt to the jury that Mr. Tyler Perry is Bisexual or homosexual and that he flirted with him many time during his visits to his home. Mr. Rodriguez need to prove his boss was trying to get into his pants and that no time those 5 thousand dollars twice was paying him to allow him to flirt with him. Mr. Rodriguez you have a lost case , because Mr. Tyler Perry has the right to not to reveal his sexuality. I order that his case be throw out of the court , because it has merit , it only prove that Mr. Tyler Perry like to flirt with anyone who willing to take it , and enjoy it while its happening, But no time do I find Mr. Tyler Perry guilty of any sexual misconduct to be suit for 77 million , this outrageous, ridiculous and stupid all in one package. Now will Mr. Rodriguez ever thought that flirting was a crime or asking to have sex with an adult is a crime. This is a court of laws , not of he say she say court. What goes behind two grow adults is their business, and if you can’t or feel uncomfortable with the person that flirting with you , there two way to end the flirt, You could say you not my type or I am not into you, or leave . So did Mr. Rodriguez stated these words , or did you stay because he found him interesting. This there no case of wrong doing. There no case , I demand that it be dismissed.
Mr.Perry please go on enjoy the rest of your life sir.
Even if Tyler is Gay that’s his personal buisness, Tyler doesn’t have to force himself on any man if that’s what he want is a Man, it’s to many Men would be glad to be with Tyler if that’s what he wants, Tyler don’t pay not one penny to this Man, if you do more Men will do what this guy is doing you will go broke trying to please everybody, I love you no matter if you Gay or straight, keep your head up and keep on making us laugh!!🙏❤️🙏