Tyler Perry Faces Second Sexual Assault Lawsuit, Lawyer Responds to Accuser Seeking $77 Million In Damages

Tyler Perry has been hit with another lawsuit for sexual assault and misconduct.

The 56-year-old filmmaker and Tyler Perry Studios mogul was just sued by a second individual this week, following a reported unwanted advances over a period of several years.

Keep reading to find out more…

Mario Rodriguez, who appeared as a frat guy in the 2016 movie Boo! A Madea Halloween, filed a suit in Los Angeles Superior Court this week and he’s seeking $77 million in damages.

The model and actor alleges that Tyler made unwanted advances and sexually assaulted him while promising him roles, according to People.

He says he was approached by a trainer in 2015, who said Tyler wanted to meet him and they soon spoke over the phone and was offered a role in the Madea Halloween movie.

In the complaint, Mario alleges several encounters where the media mogul would invite him to his home, thinking they were going to discuss future roles, but it only ended up being drinking and sexual advances.

Mario‘s complaint says in November 2018 that Tyler “grabbed [Rodriguez's] penis” and the aspiring actor “repeatedly told Mr. Perry to stop” and Rodriguez had to “physically struggle to get away.”

At times, Tyler allegedly would tell Mario to “let it happen” and “If you were to just be with me, I would take care of you….”

In the lawsuit, Mario claims after two of the alleged incidents, Tyler apologized, gave him $5,000 and “sent him away.”

The suit recalls a final incident in 2019, and Perry would continue to reach out through 2024 randomly.

Tyler‘s attorney, Alex Spiro, shared a statement, via People, calling the suit a “cash grab.”

“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,” the attorney said of Rodriguez‘s lawyer, Jonathan J. Delshad, who also represents another lawsuit against Tyler by another actor with similar accusations.

Delshad counters that the other claim’s, from Derek Dixon, are still “alive and well, and none of them have failed; they were just moved to a different court” – from California to Georgia.

Earlier this month, Mario spoke out about his claims in a video shared to Instagram, and feeling “scared and ashamed,” while talking about why he hadn’t come forward before. He did not name Tyler in the post, but referred to him as a “powerful” director who “everybody knows.”

“I stayed quiet for much too long. And I just want to say I’m really sorry, man. Because if I would’ve spoken up sooner I could’ve saved somebody that this probably happened to after me,” he said. “I just wanna say sorry for that, whoever that may be. It could’ve stopped with me if I would’ve said something. … But I’m speaking up now.”