Tyler Perry is fighting back against a $77 million sexual assault lawsuit filed last year, calling the claims “frivolous” and a “shakedown” attempt. The “Madea” franchise creator’s legal team filed a response in Los Angeles County Superior Court on February 27, denying allegations made by actor Mario Rodriguez, who claims Perry subjected him to unwanted sexual advances after a minor role in 2016’s Boo! A Madea Halloween.
Perry’s attorneys assert that Rodriguez’s claims are financially motivated. The filing states that after being cast in a small role, Rodriguez “repeatedly turned to Perry as his personal piggy bank,” and when his requests for money were denied, he fabricated allegations of a nonconsensual relationship to “ignite a media firestorm” and secure a payday. The legal team also described Rodriguez’s visits to Perry’s home between 2016 and 2019 as part of “a feigned friendship” aimed at taking advantage of the director’s generosity.
Rodriguez’s lawsuit alleges sexual assault, battery, and intentional infliction of emotional distress, claiming Perry lured him to his home under the guise of offering roles only to assault him. Perry has also filed to move the case to federal court in Georgia, citing residency, and is simultaneously defending another lawsuit from The Oval actor Derek Dixon, who has made similar claims. Perry’s lawyer Matthew Boyd called the lawsuits “fabricated claims of harassment” and said Perry “will not be shaken down.”
