Tyler Perry responded to allegations that he sexually assaulted aspiring actor Mario Rodriguez. Tyler claims the former friend and ex-employee is trying to pressure him into making a multi-million dollar settlement.
But the “Diary of a Mad Black Woman” writer and director says he won’t give in to the pressure.
In new court documents, obtained by TMZ, the movie mogul defended his sexuality and fired back at Mario’s claim that Tyler refused to sit for a deposition earlier this year.
Mario previously accused the acclaimed director, actor, screenwriter, and philanthropist of refusing to sit for the deposition unless Mario’s lawyer agreed not to ask about his sexual orientation.
In court documents, Tyler said he’s not embarrassed by his sexual orientation. He said Mario holds the “backwards belief” that he should “be embarrassed to answer questions about his sexual orientation.”
Tyler said the assumption that gay men are more likely to assault other men is a “bigoted stereotype.”
It’s the first time that Tyler has ever publicly acknowledged his sexuality after decades of rumors.
Tyler said that when he turned down Mario’s multi-million dollar settlement proposal, Mario filed the motion about the deposition to harm his reputation.
Tyler said Mario is attempting to bully him into settling. He is asking the court to sanction Mario with a fine of $7,300 for abusing the discovery process.
As TMZ first reported, Mario sued Tyler for $77 million, alleging the film producer sexually assaulted him over a 5-year period.
In court documents, Mario claimed he met the director in 2015 at a gym. He said Tyler gave him a bit role in a 2015 film he directed. Eventually, Tyler invited Mario to his home for intimate relations.
Mario claims Tyler paid him $5,000 several times for his services.
Tyler’s legal team said Mario continued to contact him over the years, despite his allegations that he was assaulted.