Tyler Perry is back in the legal crosshairs after a second actor came forward with graphic allegations of sexual battery.
Mario Rodriguez, who appeared in the film Boo! A Madea Halloween, filed a lawsuit in California on Thursday claiming that the filmmaker spent years using his industry power to trap him in unwanted sexual situations.
Rodriguez alleges that the abuse took place at Perry’s Los Angeles home and involved a pattern of physical assault followed by cash payments meant to keep him quiet.
The legal complaint details a relationship that allegedly started under the guise of mentorship in 2014. Rodriguez says he was first contacted by Perry for a role after a gym trainer shared his contact information. After landing a part in the Madea franchise, the actor claims he was invited to Perry’s residence where the professional vibe quickly disappeared.
According to the suit, Perry allegedly touched Rodriguez inappropriately while they watched a movie and told the actor that he would be “taken care of for the rest of his life” if he cooperated with the filmmaker’s sexual demands.
The lawsuit describes the situation escalating over the following years, including a 2018 encounter where things allegedly turned violent. Rodriguez claims that after a dinner meeting at Mastro’s in Beverly Hills, the pair returned to Perry’s house where the mogul allegedly forced a tight hug on him and reached into his underwear to grab his genitals.
The filing states that Perry was making sexual noises during the assault and later handed Rodriguez $5,000 in cash as an apology. The actor claims a nearly identical incident happened in 2019, where he was again offered $5,000 after rejecting Perry’s advances.
Tyler Perry’s legal team is dismissing the entire case as a strategic play for money. His attorney, Alex Spiro, released a statement calling the lawsuit a “failed money grab” and pointed out that the same lawyer representing Rodriguez is currently handling another similar case against Perry.
This is the second major lawsuit of this nature to hit the mogul recently, following a suit filed by Derek Dixon in June.
Rodriguez is seeking at least $77 million and has included Lionsgate in the filing, accusing the studio of ignoring Perry’s alleged behavior while benefiting from his films.
