Entertainment
Second actor accuses Tyler Perry of sexual assault in new lawsuit
Tyler Perry was sued for sexual assault by an actor who appeared in “Boo! A Madea Halloween,” marking the second lawsuit in recent months accusing the filmmaker and studio mogul of leveraging his power in Hollywood to make sexual advances.
Mario Rodriguez filed the lawsuit Thursday in California, alleging Perry subjected him to repeated unwanted sexual advances over several years, including sexual battery and assault at Perry’s Los Angeles home. Rodriguez is seeking at least $77 million in damages and also has sued Lionsgate, which distributed the 2016 film, accusing the studio of turning a blind eye to Perry’s alleged misconduct.
“Having recently failed in another matter against Mr. Perry, the very same lawyer has now made yet another demand from more than a decade ago which will also be a failed money grab,” Alex Spiro, an attorney for Perry, said in a statement Friday provided to CBS News.
Lionsgate did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment.
According to the complaint, Rodriguez was approached in 2014 by a trainer at an Equinox gym in Los Angeles who said Perry wanted his phone number to discuss an acting role. Perry later encouraged Rodriguez to audition for “Boo! A Madea Halloween,” telling him, “I’m not a bad person to know and have in your corner,” the lawsuit claims.
After Rodriguez was cast, he was invited to Perry’s home, where Perry allegedly touched him inappropriately while they watched a movie. The lawsuit describes additional alleged incidents in 2016, 2018 and 2019, including one encounter in which Perry allegedly attempted to unbuckle Rodriguez’s pants and another in which Perry placed Rodriguez’s hand on his genitals. The complaint says Perry gave Rodriguez $5,000 on multiple occasions following the encounters.
Rodriguez says he resisted the advances and ultimately decided to file suit after learning of similar allegations made by another actor, Derek Dixon.
Dixon sued Perry in June, alleging the filmmaker groped him while Dixon worked on Perry’s television series “The Oval” and “Ruthless.” That lawsuit, which was originally filed in L.A. Superior Court, has reportedly since been moved to federal court in Georgia, where Perry’s studio is based.
Rodriguez’s lawsuit includes claims of sexual assault, sexual battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
Entertainment
Olivia Munn urges fans for ‘early’ cancer checkup
Olivia Munn has spoken movingly about her Your Friends & Neighbors costar Amanda Peet’s breast cancer diagnosis, urging fans to get checked early after Peet’s own experience showed just how much timing can matter.
Speaking to PEOPLE while promoting season two of their Apple TV+ series, Munn, 45, herself a breast cancer survivor, having been diagnosed in 2023, said she was relieved when Peet confided in her last year.
“She told me last year that she was diagnosed, and I was so relieved she found it at such an early, early stage,” she said.
“She found it at almost the earliest you can find it. She really was given a gift of finding it so early that she doesn’t have to do all the treatment and all the stuff you have to do for years and years to come.”
She was clear about what Peet’s experience represents for others.
“She’s incredibly lucky, and it’s another reminder that early detection saves lives.”
Peet, 54, revealed her diagnosis publicly for the first time in a deeply personal essay for The New Yorker on 21 March, having kept it private since 2025.
The piece described an almost unimaginably difficult period in her life, receiving her cancer diagnosis while both of her parents were simultaneously in hospice care on opposite coasts.
When her sister called to say their father was about to die, Peet flew to New York but didn’t make it in time.
“I didn’t make it before my father took his last breath, but I got to see his body before it was taken from his apartment,” she wrote.
“As soon as my dad’s corpse was out of sight, I was free to panic about my cancer again.”
Peet received her first clear scan in January. Days later, her mother, who had Parkinson’s disease, died in the hospice with her daughter by her side.
In Your Friends & Neighbors, Peet plays therapist Mel Cooper and Munn plays her friend and neighbour Sam Levitt.
New episodes are streaming now on Apple TV+.
Entertainment
Actress Tori Spelling hospitalized after Southern California crash; authorities investigating cause
Actress Tori Spelling was involved in a two-car crash in southern Riverside County, about 80 miles from Los Angeles, on Thursday evening, her manager has confirmed with CBS LA.
It happened at around 5:45 p.m. local itme near the 28000 block of Rancho California Road in Temecula, according to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office, who confirmed the incident based on reports from other news outlets. They said that deputies arrived and found both cars with collision damage.
Deputies said that all of the occupants of both vehicles were medically evaluated at the scene, but did not report any hospitalizations from the collision.
Spelling’s manager, however, said that she and four of her children were taken to the hospital in three separate ambulances for various injuries sustained in the crash.
“No arrests were made, and the cause of the collision remains under investigation,” Riverside County deputies said.
Spelling is most known for her roles in “Beverly Hills, 90210” and “Scary Movie 2,” as well as “Tori & Dean: Home Sweet Hollywood,” her reality television show with former husband Dean McDermott. Along with her extensive acting history, Spelling is also known for her six memoirs, one of which was a New York Times bestseller.
A Los Angeles native, Spelling is the daughter of former Hollywood producer Aaron Spelling and author Candy Spelling.
Entertainment
Justin Bieber ignites documentary release speculations ahead of Coachella
Justin Bieber has raised fans’ expectations for his headlining set at Coachella 2026, but it seems the singer has planned more surprises down the line.
The 32-year-old pop star has sparked rumours of a companion documentary to be released after his performance at the music festival.
The Daisies hitmaker will be performing on both the Saturdays – April 11 and April 18 during the festival, and an anonymous tipster claimed that the “well known former teen heartthrob/ a list popstar has teamed up with Netflix to follow and film their journey” ahead of Coachella, as per DeuxMoi.
The documentary is said to be similar to Beyonce, and fans unanimously agreed that the unnamed personality is none other than Bieber.
The Grammy winner will be delivering his first major performance at the Coachella stage ever since he cancelled his 2022 tour.
Bieber recently gave a taste of his comeback era to fans at the Grammys 2026 as he performed his new song Yukon.
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