Filmmaker Tyler Perry has been sued for sexual assault by actor Mario Rodriguez in the second lawsuit in recent months.
According to Associated Press, Rodriguez, an actor who appeared in Boo! A Madea Halloween, filed the lawsuit Thursday in California.
He alleged that Perry subjected him to repeated unwanted sexual advances over several years, including sexual battery and assault at Perry’s Los Angeles home.
The actor is seeking at least $77 million in damages and also has sued Lionsgate, which distributed the 2016 film, accusing the studio of turning a blind eye to Perry’s alleged misconduct.
In a statement, Perry’s lawyer denied the allegations.
In June actor Derek Dixon filed a civil lawsuit that accused Tyler Perry of repeated sexual assault and harassment.
The Oval actor is seeking $260 million in punitive damages from Perry in a lawsuit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court .
The troubling details given in the lawsuit suggested the alleged harassment occurred over an extended period, including the same time Perry was widely praised for helping Prince Harry and Meghan Markle during their transition from royal life in the UK to the US.
In early 2020, Perry offered the Duke and Duchess of Sussex a private Los Angeles home and full security after they left Britain and found themselves temporarily without a safe haven.
This act of generosity was highlighted in the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s documentary Harry & Meghan, where Perry appears discussing his decision to support the couple.
Perry said he identified with Meghan’s emotional pain and felt compelled to step in when “no one else would help them.”
However, based on the dates mentioned in Dixon’s complaint, Perry was allegedly still harassing his former employee during the same period he was featured in the documentary portraying himself as a protector and ally of the vulnerable.
Neither Prince Harry nor his wife Meghan Markle have publicly commented on the first lawsuit against Tyler Perry.
According to observers, the latest lawsuit against the filmmaker is likely to force the royal couple to break their silence.
