LOS ANGELES (AP) – Tyler Perry, the prominent filmmaker and studio mogul, is facing a lawsuit from actor Mario Rodriguez, who claims he was subjected to sexual assault and battery during his involvement in the film "Boo! A Madea Halloween." This marks the second lawsuit against Perry in recent months, both alleging misuse of power within the Hollywood industry to make unwanted sexual advances.
Rodriguez filed the lawsuit on Thursday in California, accusing Perry of making repeated unwanted sexual advances towards him over several years. He alleges that these incidents included sexual battery and assault occurring at Perry's Los Angeles home. In his complaint, Rodriguez is seeking a staggering $77 million in damages. He has also included Lionsgate, the distributor of the 2016 film, in the lawsuit, accusing the studio of ignoring Perry's alleged misconduct.
Lionsgate has not yet responded to the request for comments regarding the lawsuit. Meanwhile, Perry's lawyer has issued a statement vigorously denying the allegations made by Rodriguez.
The lawsuit outlines an incident from 2014, when Rodriguez was approached by a trainer at an Equinox gym in Los Angeles, who informed him that Perry wanted to discuss a potential acting role with him. Following this, Perry allegedly encouraged Rodriguez to audition for "Boo! A Madea Halloween," suggesting that having him in his corner would be beneficial. This led to Rodriguez being cast in the film.
During the filming, the actor claims he was invited to Perry’s home, where inappropriate touches reportedly occurred while they were watching a movie together. The lawsuit includes additional incidents that allegedly took place in 2016, 2018, and 2019. Rodriguez recounts one incident where Perry allegedly tried to unbuckle his pants and another where he placed Rodriguez's hand on his genitals. It has also been mentioned in the complaint that Perry gave Rodriguez $5,000 multiple times following these alleged encounters.
Rodriguez states that he resisted Perry's advances, and his decision to file the lawsuit was significantly influenced by learning of similar allegations made by another actor, Derek Dixon. Dixon's lawsuit, which was filed in June, claims that Perry groped him while he was working on the television series "The Oval" and "Ruthless." This earlier lawsuit has reportedly been moved from Los Angeles Superior Court to federal court in Georgia, the location of Perry’s studio.
The allegations against Perry include serious claims such as sexual assault, sexual battery, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. As these charges unfold, they add to the growing scrutiny surrounding Perry and raise questions about the culture of power dynamics and sexual misconduct prevalent in Hollywood.
