Tyler Perry sued for sexual misconduct as second accuser comes forward

Tyler Perry has been sued by an actor who claims the film and television mogul subjected him to unwanted sexual advances over several years.

According to a lawsuit filed on Thursday in California state court, Mario Rodriguez, who appeared in Boo! A Madea Halloween, accuses Perry of sexual assault, sexual battery and intentionally causing emotional distress, reports The Hollywood Reporter.

The complaint marks the second lawsuit accusing Perry of abusing his power with aspiring male actors. In June, actor Derek Dixon, who appeared in The Oval and Ruthless, filed a separate suit alleging Perry pinned him against a wall and groped him.

Rodriguez’s lawsuit also names Lionsgate, which distributed Boo! A Madea Halloween, accusing the studio of turning a blind eye to Perry’s alleged conduct. Rodriguez is seeking at least $77 million in damages.

The lawsuit outlines how Rodriguez first came into contact with Perry in 2014, when a gym trainer at an Equinox in Los Angeles allegedly told him that Perry wanted his phone number to discuss an acting role.

After landing the role, Rodriguez says he was invited to Perry’s home, where drinks were followed by a movie in the filmmaker’s private theatre. Perry allegedly touched Rodriguez’s leg and inner thigh, close to his genitals.

When Rodriguez excused himself, Perry allegedly continued making advances and suggested he could “take care of” him for life.

Rodriguez claims similar encounters followed after filming ended in 2016 and again in 2018, after a dinner meeting in Beverly Hills to discuss a possible role. The lawsuit alleges that Perry later tried to unbuckle Rodriguez’s trousers while telling him to “hold on”.