Tyler Perry is pushing back again in his ongoing legal battle with actor Mario Rodriguez Jr., this time alleging that Rodriguez attempted to pressure him into a financial settlement through the discovery process.
In newly filed court documents obtained by TMZ, Perry’s legal team argues that Rodriguez sought sanctions after Perry objected to questions about his sexual orientation. Perry contends those questions have no bearing on the sexual assault lawsuit.
According to the filing, Perry rejects the notion that he is avoiding the topic because of embarrassment. Instead, he argues that Rodriguez is relying on what the filing calls the "backwards belief" that Perry "should be embarrassed to answer questions about his sexual orientation."
Perry maintains that is not the case and alleges the motion was designed to increase pressure on him after he declined what the filing describes as a multi-million-dollar settlement proposal.
Perry also contends that questions about his sexual orientation are irrelevant to the claims in the lawsuit. His filing argues that Rodriguez's theory improperly suggests "a man who is attracted to men is more likely to have assaulted another man," calling that premise "a bigoted stereotype."
In addition to opposing Rodriguez's motion, Perry is asking the court to sanction Rodriguez for $7,300, alleging abuse of the discovery process.
The latest filing marks another chapter in Rodriguez's $77 million lawsuit against Perry. Rodriguez alleges he first met the filmmaker in 2015 at a gym before landing a role in Boo! A Madea Halloween. He claims Perry later invited him to his home on multiple occasions, where he was sexually assaulted.
Perry has denied every allegation.
Not long thereafter, Rodriguez publicly addressed why he continued seeing Perry after the alleged assaults. In a TikTok video, he said career aspirations, self-doubt, and the hope that the alleged behavior would not happen again influenced his decisions.
"Why did I keep going back there? That's the same question I asked myself for so many years," Rodriguez said.
He added that victims often struggle to come forward because they fear they will not be believed, particularly when "your abuser is your mentor... your boss... someone who holds the key to your career."
Rodriguez's claims have also drawn attention after text messages obtained by the Associated Press showed him reaching out to Perry years after the alleged misconduct. The messages included expressions of gratitude and discussions about financial hardship and health concerns.
Perry's legal team has pointed to those communications as evidence contradicting Rodriguez's account, while Rodriguez has argued that continued contact is not uncommon in situations involving alleged abuse and power imbalances.
Dixon, who is represented by the same attorney as Rodriguez, Jonathan Delshad, is seeking $260 million in damages. Perry has denied Dixon's allegations as well, describing them in prior court filings as false and saying he intends to refute them in court.
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, help is available. You can obtain confidential support through the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673 or online at rainn.org.
