Tyler Perry sued for sexual assault by ‘Boo! A Madea Halloween’ actor in search of $77 million | EUROtoday

Tyler Perry was sued for sexual assault by an actor who appeared in “Boo! A Madea Halloween,” marking the second lawsuit in latest months accusing the filmmaker and studio mogul of leveraging his energy in Hollywood to make sexual advances.

Mario Rodriguez filed the lawsuit Thursday in California, alleging Perry subjected him to repeated undesirable sexual advances over a number of years, together with sexual battery and assault at Perry’s Los Angeles residence. Rodriguez is in search of no less than $77 million in damages and likewise has sued Lionsgate, which distributed the 2016 movie, accusing the studio of turning a blind eye to Perry’s alleged misconduct.

Lionsgate didn’t instantly reply to an electronic mail in search of remark.

In a press release, Perry’s lawyer denied the allegations.

According to the grievance, Rodriguez was approached in 2014 by a coach at an Equinox health club in Los Angeles who stated Perry wished his cellphone quantity to debate an appearing position. Perry later inspired Rodriguez to audition for “Boo! A Madea Halloween,” telling him, “I’m not a bad person to know and have in your corner,” the lawsuit claims.

After Rodriguez was solid, he was invited to Perry’s residence, the place Perry allegedly touched him inappropriately whereas they watched a film. The lawsuit describes extra alleged incidents in 2016, 2018 and 2019, together with one encounter through which Perry allegedly tried to unbuckle Rodriguez’s pants and one other through which Perry positioned Rodriguez’s hand on his genitals. The grievance says Perry gave Rodriguez $5,000 on a number of events following the encounters.

Rodriguez says he resisted the advances and finally determined to file go well with after studying of comparable allegations made by one other actor, Derek Dixon.

Dixon sued Perry in June, alleging the filmmaker groped him whereas Dixon labored on Perry’s tv collection “The Oval” and “Ruthless.” That lawsuit, which was initially filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, has reportedly since been moved to federal courtroom in Georgia, the place Perry’s studio is predicated.

Rodriguez’s lawsuit consists of claims of sexual assault, sexual battery and intentional infliction of emotional misery.