Aspiring actor Mario Rodriguez, who had a minor role in the 2016 film Boo! A Madea Halloween, has filed a lawsuit accusing Tyler Perry of sexual assault and seeking $77 million in damages. The suit also names Lionsgate, alleging the studio ignored Perry’s alleged behavior.
Rodriguez is represented by the same attorney who previously filed a similar complaint on behalf of actor Derek Dixon. Perry’s lawyer, Alex Spiro, dismissed the latest filing as “a failed money grab.”
According to the complaint, Rodriguez says the alleged misconduct began in 2014 after a trainer at an Equinox gym told him Perry wanted his phone number about an acting opportunity. After Rodriguez was cast in the film, he alleges Perry invited him to his home, where unwanted sexual contact occurred. Rodriguez claims Perry told him to “let it happen” and that he would be “taken care of.”
Rodriguez alleges repeated incidents between 2014 and 2019, including attempts to unbuckle his pants and placing his hand on Perry’s genitals. He also claims Perry paid him $5,000 on multiple occasions afterward and that he continued visiting Perry’s home despite the alleged conduct. When Perry allegedly learned Rodriguez planned legal action, he is said to have texted him expressing feelings of betrayal and referencing past support.
Rodriguez previously discussed the allegations in a viral video viewed more than a million times, though he did not name Perry directly.
Earlier this year, Derek Dixon, who appeared in The Oval, sued Perry for sexual assault and sought $260 million in punitive damages. A judge later moved that case to Georgia, where it is expected to be dismissed due to the statute of limitations. Legal observers expect Rodriguez’s filing may face the same issue.
In a statement to Variety, Spiro said, “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.”
