LOS ANGELES — Text messages indicate that Mario Rodriguez, an actor from “Boo! A Madea Halloween,” who recently sued Tyler Perry for sexual assault, kept in contact with Perry for years after they supposedly ended their relationship.
Rodriguez’s claims are part of a lawsuit filed last week. According to the complaint, he stopped communicating with Perry in 2019, yet Perry continued to reach out to him regularly. Rodriguez began messaging Perry again around Thanksgiving 2024 and on August 31, 2025, expressing appreciation, friendship, and mentioning financial struggles, based on text message screenshots obtained by The Associated Press.
In a Thanksgiving message, Rodriguez expressed gratitude to Perry for supporting him during a tough time, stating he would be thankful “by the moon,” according to the texts. In messages from August 31, he shared details of his ongoing health issues, mentioning that he lacked health insurance, was scared, and was financially struggling.
This information was shared with The Associated Press by a source close to the situation who requested anonymity to discuss the matter privately.
Perry’s attorney, Alex Spiro, challenged Rodriguez’s allegations. “I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again,” Spiro remarked in a statement. “This is nothing but a $77 million money grab.”
Rodriguez’s lawsuit seeks at least $77 million in damages, alleging sexual assault, sexual battery, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Perry denies all accusations.
The Associated Press typically refrains from naming individuals who allege sexual abuse unless they have publicly come forward, as Rodriguez has done.
This lawsuit comes on the heels of another one Rodriguez filed in June regarding Derek Dixon, who allegedly took advantage of Perry while working on the TV series “The Oval” and “Ruthless.” That suit started in California state court and was later moved to federal court in Georgia, where Perry is located. Perry also denies Dixon’s allegations.
The Associated Press attempted to contact Rodriguez’s attorney, Jonathan Delshad, for a statement concerning the text messages but received no response. Delshad also represents Dixon.
