Tyler Perry fired back at Mario Rodriguez’s $77 million sexual assault lawsuit with explosive court documents filed on February 27.
The filmmaker’s legal team branded Rodriguez’s claims as a “money grab” and accused the Boo! A Madea Halloween actor of exploiting Perry’s generosity for years.
Perry’s attorneys painted Rodriguez as someone who “repeatedly preyed on Perry’s generosity” during visits to the director’s home between 2016 and 2019.
The court filing states Rodriguez “repeatedly turned to Perry as his personal piggy bank” after landing a minor role in the 2016 Halloween comedy.
“When Plaintiff’s repeated requests for more financial assistance were met with silence, angry at the loss of his golden goose, Plaintiff spun a false tale,” Perry’s legal response declares.
Rodriguez originally filed his lawsuit in December 2025, claiming Perry used his Hollywood power to sexually assault him multiple times under the pretense of offering acting roles.
The actor alleged Perry “uses his power allows to abuse and sexually assault people who hope to secure roles in his movies,” according to USA Today’s reporting.
Perry’s team characterized the relationship as “a feigned friendship” where Rodriguez manipulated the director’s kindness for financial gain.
The response filing describes how Rodriguez allegedly “twisted the true reason for the payments to ignite a media firestorm” when Perry stopped providing money.
Perry also filed a notice of removal to federal court, arguing that the California state court lacks proper jurisdiction since his primary residence is in Georgia.
This marks the second sexual assault lawsuit Perry faces, with The Oval actor Derek Dixon filing similar allegations in June 2025.
Perry’s attorney Matthew Boyd previously called Dixon’s case “nothing more than setting up a scam” and vowed Perry “will not be shaken down.”
Both Rodriguez and Dixon share the same legal representation, raising questions about a coordinated legal strategy against the entertainment mogul.
A judge already ordered Dixon’s California federal case transferred to the Georgia federal court in December.
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