Tyler Perry, the entertainment mogul behind the blockbuster Madea franchise, is facing mounting legal troubles after a new $77 million lawsuit was filed against him in California, alleging sexual assault by actor Mario Rodriguez. The suit, submitted on December 26, 2025, in Los Angeles Superior Court, accuses Perry of a series of unwanted sexual advances and assaults that allegedly spanned several years at Perry’s Los Angeles home. The lawsuit also names Lionsgate, the distributor of Perry’s films, as a co-defendant for allegedly turning a blind eye to the director’s alleged misconduct.
According to court documents reviewed by Page Six, Variety, and The Hollywood Reporter, Rodriguez, who played “Frat Guy #10” in Perry’s 2016 film Boo! A Madea Halloween, claims his first encounter with Perry occurred in 2015 at an Equinox gym in Los Angeles. Rodriguez alleges that a gym trainer approached him, saying Perry wanted his phone number to discuss a potential acting role. That same day, Perry reportedly called Rodriguez, encouraging him to audition for the movie and telling him, “You know Mario, I’m not a bad person to know and have in your corner.”
After Rodriguez accepted the role, Perry allegedly invited him to his home, where the two shared drinks and watched a movie in the screening room. It was there, Rodriguez claims, that Perry put his hand on the actor’s leg and began rubbing his inner thigh next to his penis, reassuring him, “It’s ok,” as he continued. Rodriguez says he excused himself to the restroom, but Perry persisted, 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,” according to the complaint filed by Rodriguez’s attorney, Jonathan Delshad.
The allegations do not stop there. Rodriguez claims that in 2018, Perry invited him to dinner at Mastro’s Steakhouse in Beverly Hills under the pretense of discussing a role in Perry’s series The Oval. After dinner, Rodriguez alleges that Perry brought him back to his Los Angeles home, where the filmmaker “tightly hugged” him, tried to unbuckle his pants, and reached into his underwear, grabbing his penis while making sexual moaning noises and saying, “Stay here, stay here,” as detailed in the court documents. Rodriguez states that he managed to free himself from the encounter, after which Perry apologized and handed him $5,000.
In another alleged incident in 2019, Rodriguez claims Perry grabbed his hand and placed it on his private area, again promising, “If you were to just be with me, I would take care of you, and you wouldn’t have to ever worry about anything.” Rodriguez says he declined the advances and was once again given $5,000. The complaint further alleges that after Rodriguez decided to break off contact in 2019, Perry would periodically reach out to him, sometimes expressing feelings of betrayal when Rodriguez indicated he would file a lawsuit.
The lawsuit accuses Lionsgate of being aware of Perry’s alleged inappropriate behavior and continuing to fund his projects in “reckless disregard for its duty to intervene and make sure that actors working with Perry are not assaulted.” Lionsgate has not responded to requests for comment from multiple media outlets, including Page Six and The Hollywood Reporter.
Rodriguez’s decision to come forward was reportedly influenced by another high-profile case involving Perry. Earlier in 2025, actor Derek Dixon, who had worked on Perry’s BET series The Oval and Ruthless, filed a $260 million lawsuit against Perry, also alleging sexual harassment and assault. Dixon’s lawsuit claims Perry made sexual advances toward him beginning in January 2020, including an incident where Perry allegedly got into bed with him while he was inebriated and touched his thighs. Dixon asserts that Perry continued to send him sexual messages, asking about his preferences and revealing that he had sex with men. Dixon says he feared professional retaliation if he rejected Perry’s advances or reported the alleged harassment. His lawsuit, originally filed in California, has since been moved to federal court in Georgia.
Jonathan Delshad, who represents both Rodriguez and Dixon, told Variety, “Mr. Rodriguez is looking forward to his day in court and holding Mr. Perry accountable for his actions. We do hope a jury awards enough money to make Perry regret his actions.” Delshad pointed to numerous text messages allegedly exchanged between Rodriguez and Perry as evidence supporting his client’s claims. “Unfortunately, statements like those made by Perry’s attorneys do nothing but enable Mr. Perry to continue to victimize people like Mr. Rodriguez. My client looks forward to a jury’s determination of what happened,” Delshad added.
For his part, Perry has vigorously denied all allegations through his legal team. Alex Spiro, attorney for Perry, issued a statement to Page Six, Variety, and The Hollywood Reporter, dismissing the lawsuit as a “failed money grab.” Spiro noted, “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.” Matthew Boyd, another attorney for Perry, previously characterized Dixon’s lawsuit as a “scam,” stating, “Tyler will not be shaken down and we are confident these fabricated claims of harassment will fail.”
In a September interview with ABC News, Derek Dixon reiterated his allegations, saying, “I think it’s OK that people try to make a move or shoot their shot but if they get rejected, I think that they should stop. I thought it would stop after that, but it didn’t.” Rodriguez’s complaint echoes this sentiment, stating that after learning of Dixon’s claims, he “realized that Mr. Perry was continuing to use his power and influence to sexually assault hopeful actors and, with the voice of others, decided that it was time to tell his story, to obtain justice, and to finally stop Mr. Perry.”
The lawsuits against Perry—both seeking enormous damages—have sparked a wave of discussion in Hollywood about the responsibilities of studios and producers in protecting actors from abuse. While Perry’s defenders argue that the lawsuits are opportunistic and meritless, those representing the accusers insist that the legal actions are necessary to hold powerful figures accountable and to ensure safer working environments in the industry.
As the cases proceed through the courts, all eyes are on the outcome, which could have far-reaching implications for the entertainment world’s approach to allegations of misconduct at the highest levels of power.
