A second lawsuit accusing entertainment mogul Tyler Perry of sexual assault was filed in December 2025, drawing renewed attention to power abuse in Hollywood amid the ongoing #MeToo movement. Actor Mario Rodriguez claims Perry subjected him to years of unwanted sexual advances, physical contact, and coercion between 2014 and 2019. He is seeking $77 million in damages.
The 23-page lawsuit, submitted to California Superior Court, also names Lionsgate, the studio behind several Perry projects, for allegedly failing to properly supervise during production of Boo! A Madea Halloween. This makes it the second major legal case against Perry within a year, following actor Derek Dixon’s $260 million suit filed in June 2025. Perry has denied all allegations against him.
Lionsgate and Perry’s representatives have not commented publicly beyond their lawyers’ statements. Industry observers note the growing financial and reputational stakes, with Perry’s $1.4 billion entertainment empire facing total claims that now exceed $330 million.
From a Gym Encounter to Alleged Misconduct
Rodriguez’s lawsuit traces their first contact to 2014 at an Equinox gym in Los Angeles. He says a trainer approached him, explaining that Tyler Perry wanted his phone number for a possible casting opportunity. The offer led to Rodriguez landing a small role in the 2016 film Boo! A Madea Halloween.
Before any official audition, Perry allegedly told Rodriguez that he was “not a bad person to know,” suggesting that connection could lead to future opportunities. According to the complaint, this marked the beginning of recurring visits to Perry’s Los Angeles home from 2016 to 2019.
Rodriguez describes several incidents where professional meetings allegedly turned inappropriate. He claims that discussions about films would shift to unwanted touching of his shoulders, chest, and thighs, as well as Perry making sexual noises. The lawsuit further alleges that Perry tried to unbuckle Rodriguez’s pants and reach into his underwear.
After each incident, Rodriguez says Perry slipped $5,000 in cash into his pocket. His lawyer argues these payments were a way to buy silence and maintain control, exploiting the vast power difference between a wealthy producer and a young actor trying to build his career.
Texts and Counterarguments Fuel the Legal Fight
Perry’s legal team has pushed back strongly, pointing to text messages from Rodriguez as evidence that the relationship was friendly, not abusive. For instance, on Thanksgiving 2024, Rodriguez allegedly texted Perry messages of appreciation, saying he cared for him “to the moon.” In another message from August 2025, Rodriguez, facing medical issues and lacking health insurance, wrote, “I’m scared, brother,” asking Perry for help.
Perry’s lawyer, Alex Spiro, has described the lawsuit as a “$77 million money grab scam” filed by the same law firm that handled Derek Dixon’s earlier case. He predicted the claim would fail.
Meanwhile, Rodriguez’s attorney, Jonathan Delshad, countered that friendly communication is common among survivors of abuse, who often try to remain cordial with those who harmed them out of fear, dependency, or hope for career stability.
This lawsuit follows similar accusations by actor Derek Dixon, who worked on Perry’s BET show The Oval. Dixon claims that between 2019 and 2021, Perry harassed him at his Georgia home, offered professional favors in exchange for sex, and sent explicit messages. Perry has also denied these accusations.
Hollywood Faces Wider Reckoning
Rodriguez’s lawsuit joins a growing list of claims against powerful figures in Hollywood. In 2023, actor Christian Keyes alleged harassment by an unnamed “Black Hollywood billionaire,” who he said intimidated him while he slept off alcohol in a guest room. In July 2025, actor Braxton Wells accused Mark E. Swinton, an executive at Tyler Perry Studios, of grooming and assaulting him after inviting him to Georgia under false pretenses and later sending $6,000 through Apple Pay. Wells reported the incident to police.
Legal changes have made it easier for alleged survivors to come forward. The 2022 Speak Out Act made non-disclosure agreements unenforceable in sexual misconduct cases, meaning people who once feared legal retaliation can now share their stories publicly. Dixon’s televised ABC News interview in September 2025 brought more attention to the issue, as he said justice meant “protecting future actors from harm.”
Rodriguez’s case was filed in California, chosen for its strong worker protection laws like the Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), which covers sexual harassment and abuse of power. Dixon’s case, by contrast, is being heard in a federal court in Georgia. Past legal outcomes suggest a range of possibilities: Harvey Weinstein’s victims’ fund reached a $17 million settlement, while another unrelated case once awarded $900 million, later reduced to $90 million.
Despite years of #MeToo reforms such as hiring intimacy coordinators and creating reporting hotlines, problems remain. A 2022 survey by Women in Film found that 80% of respondents said they had heard about recent misconduct in the industry. As high-profile lawsuits like this move forward, they could not only test the limits of accountability but also determine whether Hollywood will truly transform its culture of silence and power imbalance.
Sources
Perry Filed for $77M: Lawsuit States Actor Subjected to Repeated Unwanted Sexual Advances Over Several Years. Los Angeles Times, December 29, 2025
Second Lawsuit Against Tyler Perry Emerges: Actor Alleges Repeated Sexual Assault Spanning Years. ABC7 New York, December 26, 2025
Tyler Perry Faces Second Sexual Assault Lawsuit From Male Actor Alleging Pattern of Misconduct. Fox News Entertainment, December 27, 2025
Derek Dixon v. Tyler Perry et al.: Plaintiff Alleges Sustained Pattern of Workplace Sexual Harassment and Assault. Law Offices of Jonathan J. Delshad, June 2025
Speak Out Act. Congress.gov, December 7, 2022