Tyler Perry Seeks To Keep Texts Private In Sexual Assault Case

Tyler Perry is asking a Los Angeles court to keep private text messages from going public as the $77 million sexual assault lawsuit against him moves forward.

Actor Mario Rodriguez says that after meeting Perry and landing a role in Boo! A Madea Halloween, the mogul sexually assaulted and harassed him. He’s seeking $77 million in the civil suit.

Perry says the texts he exchanged with associates were private and include confidential financial information. He also says those associates, who have nothing to do with the case, would be subject to “unnecessary embarrassment and annoyance” if the messages got out.

The texts were turned over in discovery in the lawsuit Rodriguez filed in December 2025. Rodriguez says that after he was hired for the Madea film, he and Perry spent time together at Perry’s house in 2018.

The Lawsuit Details

According to the suit, Perry asked Rodriguez about oral sex, then touched him through his pants. Rodriguez says Perry apologized and sent him $5,000, then sent another $5,000 after a second alleged incident.

At the time, Perry’s lawyer Alex Spiro told TMZ: “Having recently failed in another matter against Mr. Perry, the very same lawyer has now made yet another demand from more than a decade ago which will also be a failed money grab.”

But Rodriguez says he was inspired to come forward after The Oval actor Derek Dixon filed his own suit against Perry in June 2025, accusing him of similar behavior.

Earlier in the case, the two sides also sparred over Rodriguez’s request to have Perry reveal his sexual orientation in a deposition. Perry said he didn’t refuse to sit for the deposition over that question, arguing that the idea that a specific sexual orientation would make someone more likely to harass another person is a “bigoted lie.”

Perry has denied all the allegations, saying Rodriguez only filed suit after Perry stopped providing him financial assistance.