Actor and film mogul Tyler Perry has been hit with another sexual assault claim after a $77 million lawsuit was filed against him and Lionsgate on Christmas Day.
The lawsuit was filed on Thursday by actor Mario Rodriguez, who appeared in Perry’s Boo! A Madea Halloween, claiming that Perry made unwanted sexual advances toward hm over several years, and also that Perry committed sexual battery at Perry’s L.A. home, according to Deadline.
The actor included Lionsgate in the suit alleging that the studio knew of Perry’s behavior and did nothing about it.
Alex Spiro, Perry’s lawyer, forcefully denied the allegations, saying in a statement, “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.”
In the suit filed in the Los Angeles Superior Court, Rodriguez clams that he first met Perry in 2014 when the actor was working as a trainer at Equinox gym in Los Angeles. Perry allegedly began making sexual advances from the start. The suit alleges several incidents, one including a time when Perry supposedly stuck his hand down the actor’s pants and made sexual moaning sounds.
The suit also includes a series of damning text messages and other evidence against Perry. It also claims that Perry gave the amount of $5,000 each time after separate instances of assault or pressure for sex.
“Mr. Rodriguez realized that Mr. Perry was continuing to use his power and influence to sexually assault hopeful actors, and, with the voice of others, decided it was time to tell his story, obtain justice, and finally stop Mr. Perry,” the actor’s lawsuit says. “When Perry became aware that Rodriguez was going to file this action, Perry once again reached out to Rodriguez by text, telling Rodriguez that Perry did so much to help Rodriguez and was that (sic) Perry was feeling betrayed by Rodriguez.”
The actor is suing over claims of sexual assault, sexual battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
Rodriguez says he never gave into the pressure, but says he is filing his suit now after a similar suit by actor Derek Dixon was filed.
Perry was sued in June by The Oval actor Derek Dixon, who is accusing Perry of alleged sexual assault and years of harassment.
Dixon, an actor who plays Dale on Perry’s long-running TV show, The Oval, claims he was at an event in 2019, when the Hollywood mogul picked him out of the crowd and asked for his phone number, implying he may have a role for him, according to the lawsuit.
The actor claims that when he visited Perry’s home in Atlanta and drank too much, Perry tried to take sexual liberties. The actor also added to his lawsuit a series of sexually suggestive texts supposedly written by Perry.
Dixon is reportedly seeking $260 million in damages in a lawsuit against both Perry and his production company, Tyler Perry Studios. The actor is suing for workplace sexual harassment, sexual assault, and battery.
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