American Hollywood filmmaker, Tyler Perry, has denied allegations that he refused to answer questions regarding his sexual orientation during an ongoing legal battle in a United States court.
The denial followed a motion filed by actor Mario Rodriguez, who accused the media mogul of failing to appear for a scheduled deposition and trying to block specific lines of questioning.
Rodriguez claimed that Perry’s legal team insisted the filmmaker would only participate in the deposition if lawyers agreed not to ask whether he is sexually attracted to men. Rodriguez argued that the questions are relevant to the case, citing past allegations by other male accusers.
However, Perry’s attorney, Alex Spiro, dismissed the claims, describing the motion as frivolous and an attempt at financial extortion.
According to Spiro, Perry did not skip the deposition or decline any line of questioning, adding that their team would seek court sanctions against Rodriguez.
The legal dispute stems from a $77 million lawsuit filed by Rodriguez, who accused Perry of sexual assault, sexual battery, and other misconduct during encounters in 2015 and 2018. Rodriguez claimed the filmmaker assaulted him during a visit to his home and subsequently gave him money.
In response, Perry has denied all the allegations. His defence team presented evidence showing that Rodriguez continued to communicate with the filmmaker long after the alleged incidents to request financial assistance for personal expenses. Perry maintained that the accusations only surfaced after he refused to grant further requests for money.
