A civil lawsuit filed in Los Angeles has accused filmmaker and actor Tyler Perry of sexual assault, with an actor alleging that the incidents were tied to promises of career support in the film industry.
The case was lodged at the Los Angeles Superior Court by actor and model Mario Rodriguez, who is seeking $77 million in damages. The lawsuit claims Perry committed sexual battery and caused emotional harm during encounters that allegedly happened between 2015 and 2017.
According to the complaint , Rodriguez alleges that Perry “uses his power to abuse and sexually assault people who hope to secure roles in his movies.” The filing states that Rodriguez “was one of his victims.”
Rodriguez says his first contact with Perry occurred in 2015 after a trainer at an Equinox gym in Los Angeles told him that Perry wanted to meet him. The lawsuit says Perry called him later that day and spoke about writing Madea’s Halloween, adding that Rodriguez would be suitable for the role of “a very good-looking college student.”
During that phone call, Perry allegedly told him, “You know Mario, I’m not a bad person to know and have in your corner.”
The complaint says Perry later informed Rodriguez that he had secured the role and told him, “I told you you’d get it”.
The lawsuit states that Rodriguez later visited Perry’s Los Angeles residence alone, where the conversation shifted to personal topics. According to the filing, Perry asked questions about Rodriguez’s upbringing and past trauma, leading him to become emotional.
Perry allegedly responded by telling him, “You have a lot of trauma in you,” and added, “Believe it or not, we have a lot in common.”
Rodriguez claims Perry then hugged him and said, “It’s not your fault,” before touching his shoulders and chest. The complaint further alleges that Perry made “sexual grunting sounds” during the interaction.
Rodriguez says he was unable to react.
“Rodriguez immediately became confused, and his body tensed up and froze,” the complaint states.
According to the lawsuit, Perry repeatedly told him to “relax.”
The filing alleges that Perry then moved closer, rubbed Rodriguez’s inner thigh, and said, “It’s ok.”
Rodriguez says he left shortly afterward, first excusing himself to the restroom before going home. He describes feeling “confused” and “fearful of losing out on an acting career.”
The lawsuit claims Perry continued making sexual statements afterward, including telling him, “Man if you would just come, I would take care of you for the rest of your life and you wouldn’t have to worry about anything,” and adding, “I know you’ll come around.”
According to the complaint, after filming for Madea’s Halloween in 2016, Perry allegedly continued the behaviour the following year by inviting Rodriguez to his home again under the pretext of discussing future roles.
The filing notes that Rodriguez had told Perry he was expecting a child and facing financial strain. The lawsuit claims Perry told him, “If you would just give in to me, I would take care of you,” and added, “You would never have to worry about anything again.”
Rodriguez also accuses Perry of asking explicit sexual questions, including whether he had ever had sex with a man or imagined being with one. The complaint says Rodriguez told him he had not.
The lawsuit further alleges that Perry spoke about his own childhood experiences to gain trust.
“Perry told Rodriguez that he was himself sexually molested as a kid and that he had a lot of trauma and abandonment issues,” the complaint states.
Lions Gate Films has also been named in the lawsuit. The filing accuses the studio of having “actual knowledge of unlawful conduct and the ability to intervene but failed to act.” It further claims the company benefited from Perry’s conduct and “exercised control over production or working conditions.”
Rodriguez filed the case under California’s Sexual Abuse and Cover Up Accountability Act, known as AB-2777, which allows certain sexual assault claims that were previously time-barred to be revived where a cover-up is alleged.
Rodriguez is represented by lawyer Jonathan Delshad, who also represents actor Derek Dixon. Dixon sued Perry in June, seeking $260 million over allegations of sexual misconduct. That case was first filed in California before being transferred to a federal court in Georgia.
Perry has denied the allegations made in Dixon’s lawsuit.
In the newly filed case, Perry’s lawyer Alex Spiro told Entertainment Weekly on Friday that the lawsuit was a “money grab.”
