Tyler Perry is facing a second lawsuit alleging sexual assault and misconduct, this time from actor Mario Rodriguez, who seeks $77 million in damages. Rodriguez, who appeared in Perry's 2016 film Boo! A Madea Halloween, claims unwanted advances spanning years after their initial meeting in 2015. Perry's team is firing back, calling it a desperate cash grab.
Oh honey, the tea is scalding in Hollywood this week! Tyler Perry, the 56-year-old powerhouse behind Tyler Perry Studios, just got slapped with another bombshell lawsuit. Mario Rodriguez, the model-actor who popped up as a frat guy in Boo! A Madea Halloween back in 2016, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on Thursday, accusing Perry of sexual battery, assault, and emotional distress. We're talking $77 million in punitive damages on the line—eyes emoji for days.
It all allegedly kicked off in 2015 when a gym trainer approached Rodriguez, saying Perry wanted to meet. Cue a phone call that same day: Perry dangled a role in an upcoming movie, telling the inexperienced Rodriguez, "You know, Mario, I'm not a bad person to know and have in your corner." Fast-forward to post-filming invites to Perry's home, supposedly for career chats, but Rodriguez claims they devolved into drinks, graphic questions, and unwanted touches. No mess on set, though—Perry kept it professional during production.
The real drama? A 2018 visit where Perry allegedly asked if Rodriguez enjoyed oral sex before grabbing his penis. Rodriguez says he fought back, repeatedly yelling stop, but Perry urged, "let it happen" and "If you were to just be with me, I would take care of you…." After that and another incident where Perry forced Rodriguez's hand onto him, apologies came with $5,000 payoffs each time—sent packing like yesterday's script. A final 2019 encounter, plus random outreach through 2024, sealed the suit.
This isn't the first—it's the second, following Derek Dixon's claims of harassment and groping in Perry's guest house. Both accusers share lawyer Jonathan J. Delshad, who clapped back at Perry's attorney Alex Spiro's shade: Spiro called it a "failed money grab" from over a decade ago, tying it to Dixon's case. Delshad insists Dixon's claims are "alive and well," just venue-shopped from California to Georgia.
Earlier this month, Rodriguez spilled on Instagram (without naming names), owning his silence: "I stayed quiet for much too long... if I would’ve spoken up sooner I could’ve saved somebody... But I’m speaking up now." Scared, ashamed, and sorry—classic survivor vibes. Perry denies it all, of course. So, is this the end of the Madea magic, or just another plot twist? 🔥
