Newly released text messages show that actor Mario Rodriguez remained in contact with Tyler Perry years after Rodriguez now claims the filmmaker sexually assaulted him.
According to screenshots shared with the Associated Press by a source close to the situation, Rodriguez initiated contact with Perry as recently as Thanksgiving 2024 and again on August 31, 2025.
In the Thanksgiving message, Rodriguez thanked Perry for helping him through difficult periods in his life and said he appreciated him “to the moon.”
In a separate exchange dated August 31, Rodriguez described ongoing health problems, said he did not have health insurance, and told Perry he was scared and struggling financially.
The messages surfaced days after Rodriguez filed a lawsuit in California accusing Perry of sexual assault. In the complaint, Rodriguez alleged that the two had encounters between 2014 and 2019 and claimed he cut off contact with Perry in 2019, though Perry allegedly reached out periodically afterward.
Rodriguez is seeking at least $77 million in damages and accused Perry of sexual assault, sexual battery, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
Rodriguez appeared in Boo! A Madea Halloween, and has publicly identified himself as an alleged victim, which is why the Associated Press named him in its reporting. Perry has denied all allegations.
Perry's attorney, Alex Spiro, dismissed the lawsuit in a statement, saying, “I said it before and I will say it again. This is nothing but a $77 million money grab scam.”
Rodriguez’s lawsuit comes as Perry is already fighting a separate, high-profile case brought earlier this year by actor Derek Dixon. Dixon, who worked on Perry’s television series The Oval and Ruthless, filed a lawsuit in June alleging that Perry groped him and subjected him to sexual harassment and assault.
Dixon claimed the alleged conduct occurred while he was employed on the shows and said it caused severe emotional and physical distress. Dixon is seeking $260 million in damages.
Perry has also strongly denied those claims, with his legal team previously stating in court filings that Dixon’s allegations are false and that Dixon attempted to exploit a professional relationship for financial gain. Perry has said he intends to fight the accusations and refute them in court.
The same attorney, Jonathan Delshad, represents both Rodriguez and Dixon. The Associated Press reported that it contacted Delshad for comment on the newly revealed text messages but did not receive a response.
Delshad has previously stated, in connection with Dixon’s case, that the evidence would show sexual harassment and assault occurred and that “nobody is above the law.”
If you or someone you know has experienced sexual assault, confidential support is available through the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or online at RAINN.org.