Tyler Perry calls lawsuits 'money grab' as new claims emerge

Tyler Perry is facing growing legal trouble.

The entertainment mogul faces a second lawsuit accusing him of sexual assault was filed on December 26, following an earlier case brought in June.

Perry has denied all allegations, calling them an attempt to extort money.

“There’s now two of these lawsuits,” Jonathan Delshad, a lawyer representing both accusers, told The Hollywood Reporter. “There may be more coming.”

Perry’s attorney, Alex Spiro, dismissed the claims. “I said it before and I will say it again,” he said. “This is nothing but a $77 million money grab scam.”

For years, Perry has been celebrated as a major force in Hollywood, running Tyler Perry Studios, a 330-acre production complex that employs hundreds and is often praised for advancing Black ownership in entertainment.

The lawsuits, however, paint a different picture. Actor Derek Dixon, who appeared on The Oval, alleges Perry abused his power over aspiring male actors. 

A second accuser, Mario Rodriguez, who appeared in Boo! A Madea Halloween, claims Perry assaulted him multiple times over several years.

After Rodriguez filed his lawsuit, text messages between him and Perry surfaced, showing friendly communication long after the alleged incidents.

In one message from August 31, Rodriguez wrote, “Feel sick most days. Never told anybody this but my mom and everybody is starting to notice my broke ass,” adding, “Don’t have insurance.”

Delshad says the messages point to an imbalance of power. “Why is he holding himself out as available for favours?” he asked. “This isn’t normal behavior from a billionaire producer toward an inconsequential actor who had a tiny role in one of his movies.”

According to the lawsuit, Perry gave Rodriguez a total of $10,000 over time, including after one alleged assault.