Tyler Perry was accused of sexual assault by a second person, an actor and model named Mario Rodriguez. Rodriguez, who appeared in the filmmaker‘s Boo! A Madea Halloween, filed a $77 million lawsuit against Perry in late December 2025.
In an Instagram video shared on December 13, 2025, Rodriguez said he felt “scared and ashamed” to come forward against one of Hollywood’s most successful directors, though he did not mention Perry by name. He then explained that he did not go public with his claims beforehand because of how “powerful” this filmmaker is.
“I stayed quiet for much too long,” Rodriguez pointed out in the clip. “And I just want to say I’m really sorry, man. Because if I would’ve spoken up sooner, I could’ve saved somebody that this probably happened to after me. … I just wanna say sorry for that, whoever that may be. It could’ve stopped with me if I would’ve said something. … But I’m speaking up now.”
Learn about Rodriguez and his claims against Perry below.
Mario Rodriguez himself spoke about it on his IG
I’ve had the honor to meet MR when we booked him as a honorary guest for a Premier Nightclub I used to manage. Amazing person, very easy going going w/ a great attitude , always.
May justice prevail
Cc: #TylerPerry https://t.co/0uSu6Qu66d pic.twitter.com/l3lbDN162d— Rah Rah (@officiallrahrah) December 26, 2025
Who Is Mario Rodriguez?
Rodriguez is a model and an actor. As seen on his Instagram page, he is also an avid fitness expert.
According to Rodriguez’s IMDb profile, he appeared in nine episodes of The Family Business.
Mario Rodriguez’s Role in Tyler Perry’s Boo! A Madea Halloween
As previously noted, Rodriguez had a minor part in Perry’s Boo! A Madea Halloween. He is credited as playing Frat Guy #10.
Details of Mario Rodriguez’s Allegations Against Tyler Perry
According to court documents obtained by multiple outlets, Rodriguez claimed in his lawsuit that he met with Perry in 2015 to discuss a possible role in The Oval. Later that evening, Perry allegedly made an unwanted sexual advance on Rodriguez when the two visited the Don’t Look Up star’s home.
According to the court documents, Perry allegedly “reached into Mr. Rodriguez’s underwear” and “continued to grab his penis” without Rodriguez’s consent. Rodriguez further claimed that, after he got away from Perry, the latter apologized to him and paid him $5,000.
Rodriguez’s lawsuit also claims that Perry made additional unwanted sexual advances, citing an alleged incident in 2019 when Perry allegedly took Rodriguez’s hand, placed it on his private section and said, “If you were to just be with me, I would take care of you, and you wouldn’t have to ever worry about anything.” After rejecting Perry’s alleged advances that time, Rodriguez’s lawsuit claims the filmmaker paid him another $5,000.
In response to Rodriguez’s lawsuit, Perry’s lawyer Alex Spiro released a statement denying the claims, calling the situation a “money grab,” according to People.
Rodriguez’s allegations and lawsuit came several months after a man named Derek Dixon accused Perry of sexual assault. Dixon, who starred in The Oval, sought $260 million.
If you or anyone you know has been sexually abused, call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673). A trained staff member will provide confidential, judgment-free support as well as local resources to assist in healing, recovering and more.
