Actor and filmmaker Tyler Perry is seeking to have a $77 million sexual assault and battery lawsuit against him dismissed, arguing that the allegations are false and financially motivated.
According to court documents obtained by TMZ, Perry’s legal team described the claims made by model and actor Mario Rodriguez as “outlandish falsehoods that have no basis in fact or law and no merit.”
In the filing, Perry alleges that Rodriguez repeatedly asked him for financial support after appearing in what Perry described as a minor role in one of his film projects.
Rodriguez appeared in Perry’s 2016 film Boo! A Madea Halloween. Court documents state that Rodriguez allegedly requested money from Perry for various personal expenses, including a car, apartment costs, medical bills and other financial obligations.
Perry claims that after he stopped providing financial assistance, Rodriguez fabricated allegations suggesting their relationship had been nonconsensual.
The lawsuit filed by Rodriguez accuses Perry of making unwanted advances and engaging in inappropriate behaviour. Rodriguez has alleged that after filming ended, Perry persistently pursued him and at one point inappropriately touched him.
Perry has strongly denied all accusations and is asking the court to dismiss the case entirely, requesting that Rodriguez receive no financial compensation.
The legal dispute remains ongoing as the court reviews the filings from both parties.
