Tyler Perry Moves to Shield Private Texts With Associates in $77M Sexual Assault Lawsuit

Tyler Perry is asking a court to prevent private text messages exchanged with associates from being disclosed in his ongoing legal battle with actor Mario Rodriguez, who is seeking at least $77 million (£58 million) in damages over allegations of sexual assault.

According to a report published by TMZ on 29 October, the filmmaker has asked the court to protect messages containing financial information, arguing that the exchanges were intended to remain confidential. Rodriguez has yet to submit a response to the latest dispute, according to the report.

Perry's lawyers argue that the associates involved have no connection to Rodriguez's allegations and that disclosing their messages could cause unnecessary embarrassment. TMZ reported that Perry had already provided the communications to Rodriguez during the litigation but maintains that the parties had agreed to keep them confidential. Rodriguez had not filed a response to the request at the time of the report.

Perry's Dispute Over Private Communications

The confidentiality dispute arises from Rodriguez's lawsuit against the filmmaker, which was filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court in December 2025. Rodriguez, who appeared in Perry's 2016 film Boo! A Madea Halloween, accuses the entertainment mogul of sexually assaulting him during encounters allegedly spanning several years. Perry has denied the allegations.

According to TMZ, Perry says some of the messages concern financial matters and that the people involved expected their conversations to remain private. His lawyers say that Rodriguez should not be permitted to disclose the exchanges. The dispute concerns messages between Perry and his associates, rather than the separate text conversations between the filmmaker and Rodriguez that were reported in December 2025.

Earlier Messages Between Perry and Rodriguez

Separate text exchanges between Perry and Rodriguez were publicised after the lawsuit was filed. The Los Angeles Times reported that Rodriguez's 23-page complaint alleged he had stopped communicating with Perry in 2019, although Perry continued to contact him occasionally through 2024.

Screenshots obtained by news organisations, including the Associated Press, appeared to show Rodriguez initiating conversations with Perry in November 2024 and August 2025. In a message sent during Thanksgiving 2024, Rodriguez expressed gratitude for Perry's support and thanked him for helping him through difficult periods.

In a separate exchange dated 31 August 2025, Rodriguez discussed ongoing health problems, said he did not have health insurance and described struggling financially. The Associated Press reported that the messages showed Rodriguez seeking assistance while explaining his circumstances to the filmmaker.

Rodriguez Defends His Messages

Rodriguez responded to the scrutiny by saying that his continued communication with Perry did not invalidate his allegations. In a statement reported by the LA Times in December 2025, the actor said people often used messages where he was 'polite, grateful, or vulnerable' against him.

'Survivors often stay cordial. They often ask for help when they feel desperate,' Rodriguez said. 'That does not mean abuse didn't happen. Those text messages were sent to Perry at a time when I was especially vulnerable as can be seen from the context.'

Rodriguez's complaint accuses Perry of sexual assault, sexual battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress. According to the lawsuit, the alleged incidents occurred during encounters at Perry's Los Angeles home after the two became acquainted through a potential acting opportunity.

Rodriguez alleges that Perry made unwanted sexual advances and that he did not receive further acting roles after rejecting them. These claims form part of the actor's demand for at least $77 million (£58 million) in damages.