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Tyler Perry faces $77 million lawsuit after second actor accused him of sexual assault.
Mario Rodriguez, who had a minor role in Perry’s film Boo! A Halloween Madeafiled a lawsuit against the actor and Lionsgate Films in California on Thursday, December 25, according to People And Page six.
In the lawsuit, Rodriguez allegedly alleged that Perry sexually assaulted him and made unwanted advances toward him while promising him future acting roles – claims Perry’s lawyer Alex Spiro described as a “money grab”.
Page six reported that Rodriguez claimed in the lawsuit that Perry “hug him,” “reached into Mr. Rodriguez’s underwear” and touched his genitals during an incident in 2018. The couple allegedly went to Perry’s home after he invited Rodriguez to dinner at Mastro’s Steakhouse in Beverly Hills, California, to discuss a potential role on his show. The Oval.
Actor Derek Dixon has broken his silence after accusing Tyler Perry of sexual assault and harassment in a $260 million lawsuit last month. “I couldn’t let him get away with that,” Dixon told The Hollywood Reporter on Thursday, July 10, in his first interview since the accusations became public. “Everyone deserves to go to work […]
“Mr. Perry was making sexual moans and saying, ‘Stay here, stay here,’ while he pressed his body against Mr. Rodriguez and continued to grip his penis,” court documents allege, according to Page six.
People reported that during one of the alleged unwanted advances, Perry urged Rodriguez to “let it happen” and told him, “If you would just be with me, I would take care of you…”.
According to both outlets, Rodriguez also claimed via the lawsuit that following two incidents of unwanted sexual advances, Perry apologized and paid him $5,000.
Rodriguez, who is seeking $77 million in damages, is represented by a lawyer. Jonathan J. Delshad. Delshad also represented actor Derek Dixon, who previously made sexual assault allegations against Perry.
“After recently failing in another case against Mr. Perry, the same attorney has now made a new request from over a decade ago that will also be a failed money grab,” said Perry’s attorney, Spiro. Us every week in a press release dated Friday December 26.
Mario Rodriguez.
Photo by John Parra/WireImage)Post on your Instagram on December 13, Rodriguez spoke about an anonymous “powerful” director “that everyone knows.” He explained in the post that he felt “scared and ashamed.”
“I’ve been silent for too long. And I just want to say I’m really sorry, man. Because if I would have spoken sooner, I could have saved someone who probably had this happen to me after me,” he said in the video. “I just want to apologize for that, whoever it was. It could have stopped me if I had said something. … But I’m speaking now.”
Us every week has contacted Rodriguez’s representatives for comment.
In June, Perry faced a similar lawsuit when Dixon sued Perry and his production company for alleged sexual assault on the set of The Oval. Dixon was seeking $260 million in damages from Perry and his production company.
Perry told the court that actor Dixon’s trial accusing him of sexual assault was “deeply disappointing, cynical and – above all – wrong”, Us every week reported in October.
“Dixon fabricates alleged assaults and encounters that never occurred. Mr. Perry never assaulted Dixon or committed sexual violence. He did not offer Dixon a raise and did not shoot Dixon’s television pilot script to threaten, coerce, or control Dixon,” the court filing states.
“Dixon won on merit alone, regardless of the professional opportunities he received from [Perry and his company]”, noted Perry’s lawyer. “And it is remarkable that in his efforts to exploit his friendship and professional relationship with Mr. Perry to obtain a $260 million salary, Dixon was forced to lie not only about Mr. Perry, but also about himself.
