By 82nd_Academy_Awards-Wikipedia
US film and television mogul Tyler Perry is facing a $260 million (£194 million) lawsuit filed by actor Derek Dixon, who has accused the media tycoon of sexually assaulting him during his time working on Perry’s television shows.
Dixon, who appeared in The Oval and Ruthless—both produced by Tyler Perry Studios—filed the lawsuit in a Los Angeles court, alleging that Perry exploited his influence in the entertainment industry to create what the actor described as a “coercive, sexually exploitative dynamic.”
The lawsuit claims Perry promised Dixon a prosperous acting career but instead subjected him to “escalating sexual harassment, assault and battery, and professional retaliation” after Dixon failed to reciprocate what he described as Perry’s “unwanted advances.”
Perry’s legal team has categorically denied the allegations. His attorney, Matthew Boyd, called the lawsuit a “scam” and insisted that the claims were fabricated for financial gain. “This is an individual who got close to Tyler Perry for what now appears to be nothing more than setting up a scam,” Boyd told the BBC. “But Tyler will not be shaken down and we are confident these fabricated claims of harassment will fail.”
According to the lawsuit, Dixon first met Perry in 2019 during a work-related event held at Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta. Over the course of several months, the two reportedly discussed Dixon’s potential acting career. However, the lawsuit alleges that these conversations increasingly involved inappropriate sexual comments and advances by Perry, which Dixon says he rejected.
Perry later cast Dixon in a role on Ruthless and then in The Oval. However, the lawsuit asserts that Perry used the character’s fate as leverage to pressure Dixon into responding to his sexual overtures. “Mr Perry made it clear to Dixon that if Dixon ignored Perry or failed to engage with the sexual innuendos, Dixon’s character would ‘die’ in the next season,” the complaint states.
The legal filing claims Perry “always held this over Mr Dixon’s head,” suggesting that the survival of his character, Dale, depended on Dixon keeping Perry “happy.”
The lawsuit outlines several incidents in which Perry allegedly sexually assaulted the actor. One alleged assault took place in a trailer on the set of The Oval, where Dixon says Perry interrogated him about his sexual preferences before pinning him against a wall and fondling him. Dixon said he refused the advance and exited the trailer.
Ultimately, Dixon claims he chose to leave his role on The Oval to escape the ongoing harassment. He also says he turned down an offer from Perry to work as a writer, fearing the continuation of the same coercive environment.
The lawsuit seeks $260 million in damages for emotional distress, loss of income, and reputational harm. The case is expected to draw significant attention given Perry’s high profile in the entertainment industry and the serious nature of the accusations.
