Tyler Perry Denies He Dodged Questions About His Sexuality

Tyler Perry’s refusing to cave to settlement pressure and is fighting back hard against claims he won’t discuss his sexuality in court.

Tyler Perry isn’t backing down from a legal fight that’s testing his resolve in ways most people never experience.

The entertainment mogul is standing firm against pressure tactics he says his accuser is using to force a settlement, and he’s making it clear that he won’t be intimidated into silence about his personal life.

According to TMZ, Perry’s legal team filed new court documents this week pushing back hard against claims that he refused to sit for a deposition unless certain topics were off-limits.

Actor Mario Rodriguez has been pushing the narrative that Perry won’t answer questions about his sexual orientation, but Perry’s lawyers are calling that claim completely false.

Perry says he’s already agreed to the deposition, and he’s not embarrassed about anything regarding his sexuality.

What Perry is saying is that Rodriguez’s questions about his personal attractions have nothing to do with the actual allegations in the case.

Perry’s team argues that suggesting a man attracted to men is more likely to assault another man is rooted in a bigoted stereotype that shouldn’t factor into legal proceedings.

The real issue, according to Perry’s filing, is that Rodriguez resorted to this deposition tactic after Perry rejected a multi-million-dollar settlement offer.

Perry’s legal team is essentially saying Rodriguez is using the court system as a weapon to bully him into paying up. Perry is asking the court to sanction Rodriguez in the amount of $7,300 for what he calls an abuse of the discovery process.

This case started when Rodriguez sued Perry for $77 million, claiming the filmmaker sexually assaulted him after they met at a gym in 2015 and Rodriguez landed a role in a film.

Rodriguez alleges multiple incidents occurred at Perry’s home, including one where Perry allegedly questioned him about oral sex before touching him inappropriately.

Perry’s team has consistently denied all allegations and pointed out that Rodriguez continued communicating with Perry for years after the alleged incidents, only filing suit after Perry stopped providing financial assistance.

But Perry’s legal troubles extend beyond Rodriguez’s case. Actor Derek Dixon filed a separate $260 million lawsuit in 2025 alleging Perry sexually harassed and assaulted him while Dixon worked on shows like The Oval and Ruthless.

Dixon claims Perry promised him career opportunities but then made unwanted sexual advances and threatened to kill off his character if he didn’t reciprocate. Perry’s attorney called that lawsuit a scam designed to extract money from the filmmaker.

Perry’s legal team is seeking sanctions against Rodriguez and plans to continue fighting both cases aggressively.

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