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Tyler Perry has been sued for sexual assault and misconduct over a interval of a number of years by an actor who appeared within the 2016 movie “Boo! A Madea Halloween,” the second lawsuit the filmmaker and media mogul faces following a separate submitting from June.
Filed this week in Los Angeles Superior Courtroom, the brand new lawsuit, which seeks $77 million in damages, was introduced by Mario Rodriguez, who alleges Perry made repeated undesirable sexual advances at Perry’s Los Angeles dwelling starting in 2015, in line with paperwork obtained by TheWrap. Rodriguez claims the conduct escalated over time and included bodily contact with out consent.
In line with the grievance, Rodriguez alleges that in a 2018 incident Perry tightly hugged him and grabbed his genitals. One other alleged encounter described within the submitting occurred in Perry’s dwelling screening room, the place Rodriguez claims Perry positioned his hand on his leg and rubbed his internal thigh close to his genitals whereas telling him, “It’s OK.”
Rodriguez is suing Perry for sexual assault, sexual battery and intentional infliction of emotional misery. The swimsuit additionally names Lionsgate, the distributor of “Boo! A Madea Halloween,” alleging the corporate was conscious of Perry’s alleged conduct however ignored it.
The grievance states Rodriguez ended contact with Perry in 2019 however alleges Perry periodically tried to reconnect. Rodriguez says he determined to file the lawsuit after studying of comparable allegations made earlier this yr by one other actor.
The earlier lawsuit was filed in June by Derek Dixon, who appeared in Perry’s BET drama collection “The Oval.” Dixon alleges Perry sexually harassed and assaulted him, together with an incident in June 2021 by which Perry allegedly grabbed him whereas intoxicated. Dixon additionally cited alleged textual content messages containing sexual advances and is in search of at the very least $260 million in punitive damages.
Perry has denied the allegations. His lawyer, Alex Spiro, stated in a assertion to Individuals that the lawsuit is meritless.
“Having lately failed in one other matter in opposition to Mr. Perry, the exact same lawyer has now made yet one more demand from greater than a decade in the past, which can even be a failed cash seize,” Spiro stated.
Rodriguez and Dixon are each represented by Los Angeles lawyer Jonathan Delshad, who stated the lawsuits are supported by textual content messages and different proof. Delshad stated Rodriguez intends to carry Perry accountable and seeks a jury trial.
Perry, 55, is certainly one of Hollywood’s strongest figures, with a manufacturing empire that features movie, tv and Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta. Neither lawsuit has been adjudicated, and Perry has not been charged with any crime.
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