Tyler Perry has been named in a sexual assault lawsuit filed by actor Mario Rodriguez, who appeared in the film "Boo! A Madea Halloween." The lawsuit, submitted in California, accuses Perry of making repeated unwanted sexual advances over several years, including incidents of sexual battery and assault at Perry's residence in Los Angeles. Rodriguez is seeking at least $77 million in damages and has also included Lionsgate, the distributor of the 2016 film, in the lawsuit, alleging that the studio ignored Perry's alleged misconduct.

Perry's legal representation has denied the allegations. According to the lawsuit, Rodriguez was initially contacted in 2014 by a trainer at an Equinox gym in Los Angeles, who claimed that Perry wanted his phone number to discuss a potential acting role. Following this, Perry encouraged Rodriguez to audition for the film, suggesting that having him in his corner would be beneficial.

After being cast, Rodriguez claims he was invited to Perry's home, where inappropriate touching allegedly occurred during a movie viewing. The lawsuit details further incidents from 2016, 2018, and 2019, including an occasion where Perry reportedly attempted to unbuckle Rodriguez's pants and another where he allegedly placed Rodriguez's hand on his genitals. The complaint notes that Perry provided Rodriguez with $5,000 on multiple occasions after these encounters.

Rodriguez states that he resisted Perry's advances and decided to file the lawsuit after learning of similar allegations made by another actor, Derek Dixon. Dixon had previously sued Perry in June, claiming that he was groped while working on Perry's television series "The Oval" and "Ruthless." That lawsuit has since been moved from Los Angeles Superior Court to federal court in Georgia, where Perry's studio is located. Rodriguez's lawsuit includes claims of sexual assault, sexual battery, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.