Tyler Perry's legal woes deepened after another actor accused the Sistas producer for sexual assault.
Mario Rodriguez, a model who landed a minor role in Perry's 2016 movie Boo! A Madea Halloween, alleges in a new lawsuit that Perry sexually assaulted him and made unwanted sexual advances while promising him roles. Rodriguez is seeking $77 million in damages.
Rodriguez is being represented by attorney Jonathan J. Delshad, who also represented Derek Dixon, another actor who made similar allegations against the 56-year-old earlier this year.
Responding to the new allegations, Perry's attorney, Alex Spiro, on Friday, December 26, called the lawsuit a failed chance to "money grab" after the actors' lawyer failed to achieve any success in the Dixon case.
However, Delshad says Dixon’s claims "are alive and well, and none of them have failed; they were just moved to a different court,” as the case is relocated from California to Georgia.
In the lawsuit obtained by PEOPLE, Rodriguez claims that in 2015 he was approached by a trainer in an LA gym who said Perry wanted to meet him.
Rodriguez said the Straw director soon spoke to him over the phone and offered him a small role of "Frat Guy #10" in the Madea Halloween film.
The complaint further alleges multiple instances when Perry would invite Rodriguez over to his home under the guise of discussing future work projects, only to make sexual advances while drinking.
In November 2018, Perry allegedly "grabbed [Rodriguez's] penis" and Rodriguez "repeatedly told Mr. Perry to stop" and Rodriguez had to "physically struggle to get away."
Perry allegedly would tell Rodriguez to "let it happen" and "If you were to just be with me, I would take care of you...." Rodriguez's lawsuit claims that after two incidents Perry allegedly apologised, handed him $5,000 "and sent him away".
At a final alleged encounter in April 2019, "More than ever before, it was clear that Mr Perry would do whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted, to whomever he wanted no matter how many times he was rejected."
In a December 13 Instagram video, Rodriguez spoke about feeling "scared and ashamed." Although he did not mention Perry by name in the post, just a "powerful" director "that everybody knows," he apologised for not coming forward sooner, as that might've saved someone "that this probably happened to after me."
Notably, Derek Dixon, who starred on Perry's TV series The Oval, filed a $260 million lawsuit against Perry in June, alleging sexual harassment, assault and retaliation, which the filmmaker denies.
