Mario Rodriguez, who was told to audition for one of Perry’s movies, seeks at least $77 million
According to reports, Tyler Perry is being sued by actor Mario Rodriguez, who alleges sexual battery and multiple assaults at Perry’s Los Angeles home over several years. Perry’s lawyer has denied the claims, calling the lawsuit a “money grab.”
Mario Rodriguez, in a lawsuit filed on Thursday in California state court, claims that Perry subjected him to unwanted sexual advances, including one occasion in 2018 in which the filmmaker “tightly hugged” him and “grabbed his penis.”
In a statement, Alex Spiro, a lawyer for Perry, denied the allegations. “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,” he told The Hollywood Reporter.
The complaint is the second filed against Perry accusing him of leveraging his power in Hollywood to assault aspiring male actors in his orbit. Derek Dixon, who appeared in The Oval and Ruthless, sued Perry in June, alleging that the mogul pinned him against a wall and groped him.
Rodriguez brings claims for sexual assault, sexual battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress, plus a claim against Lionsgate, which distributed Boo! A Madea Halloween and did not immediately respond to a request for comment, for turning a blind eye to Perry’s alleged misconduct. He seeks at least $77 million.
