Tyler Perry faces second sexual assault lawsuit for $77m | Tyler Perry
Tyler Perry starred in the US entertainment mogul’s 2016 comedy Boo! A Madea Halloween.
The lawsuit alleges that Perry repeatedly subjected Mario Rodriguez to unwanted sexual advances. Those allegations included sexual assault and assault at Perry’s Los Angeles home, according to the lawsuit, which alleges movie studio Lionsgate turned a blind eye to the misconduct.
This is the second lawsuit filed in recent months accusing the filmmaker of sexual harassment. Another man previously filed a lawsuit against Perry, accusing him of “using his significant influence in the entertainment industry to create a coercive, sexually exploitative dynamic.”
Perry, 56, is estimated to be worth $1.4 billion, and some of that wealth stems from a series of hits centered on her character, Mabel “Madea” Simmons, a tough, older, Black American family matriarch.
In the new complaint, Rodriguez alleges that in 2014, a trainer at the Equinox gym approached her and said Perry asked for her phone number to discuss an acting role. Perry later encouraged the man to audition for the film, telling him: “I’m not a bad person to know and have around.”
Rodriguez alleges that Perry then invited her to his home and that Perry touched her inappropriately while they watched a movie. The lawsuit alleges incidents that occurred in 2016, 2018 and 2019; these include an encounter in which Perry allegedly “placed her hands on Mr. Rodriguez’s legs and began rubbing the inside of his thigh right next to his penis.”
The lawsuit alleges that Rodriguez tried to go to the bathroom, but Perry allegedly insisted: “Dude, if you come, I’ll take care of you for the rest of your life and you won’t have to worry about a thing.”
The allegations against Perry were denied by his lawyer, Alex Spiro. Spiro also mentioned that Rodriguez and the plaintiff in the earlier lawsuit against Perry (Derek Dixon) shared the same attorney: Jonathan Delshad.
“The same attorney who recently failed in another lawsuit against Mr. Perry filed another claim more than a decade ago, and this will be yet another failed money grab.” Spiro told the Hollywood Reporter.
Entertainment news outlet grio Delshad reportedly disputed Spiro’s characterization of Dixon’s allegations and said they remained active after he moved from California to Georgia, as required by procedure.
Perry is estimated to be one of the highest-paid artists in the world from his Madea franchise and Atlanta-based Tyler Perry Studios.
Perry proposed to Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, in 2020; and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, had a home in Los Angeles when they left the United Kingdom. He later said he identified with the couple’s “emotional pain” and wanted to intervene because “no one else would help them.”
Associated Press contributed reporting
