Tyler Perry is denying that he has refused to answer questions in actor Mario Rodriguez’s $77 million sexual assault lawsuit against him.
Rodriguez, who appeared in Boo! A Madea Halloween is asking a judge to sanction Perry, claiming the filmmaker has refused to sit for a deposition unless certain questions are kept off the table, according to TMZ, which obtained court documents in the case.
Rodriguez alleges Perry’s team would only agree to move forward if his attorneys promised not to ask whether Perry “is, or has been,” sexually attracted to men.
Perry’s attorney, Alex Spiro, denied the claim in a statement to the news outlet, calling the motion “frivolous.” Spiro said Perry did not refuse to appear for a deposition or reject any category of questioning. He also said Perry’s team plans to seek sanctions against Rodriguez.
The dispute is the latest development in Rodriguez’s lawsuit, which accuses Perry of sexual assault, sexual battery, and other claims, but Perry has denied wrongdoing.
Rodriguez claims he met Perry at a gym in 2015 before later landing a role in Boo! A Madea Halloween. In the lawsuit, he alleges Perry assaulted him during private encounters, including one alleged incident at Perry’s home in 2018.
Perry’s team has denied the allegations and argued that Rodriguez continued contacting him afterward, including for financial help. The Hollywood director is also facing a separate lawsuit from actor Derek Dixon, who accused him of sexual harassment, assault, and retaliation. Perry has denied those allegations as well.