American actor and filmmaker Tyler Perry, whose latest psychological crime drama, Straw, has dominated conversations in the entertainment world recently, is now grappling with a serious legal challenge after actor Derek Dixon, known for his role as Dale on Perry’s TV dramas The Oval and Ruthless, has filed a $260 million sexual harassment lawsuit against the Hollywood mogul.
In a complaint filed on Friday, June 13, at a Los Angeles court, Dixon accuses Perry of fostering what he described as “a coercive, sexually exploitative dynamic” between them. Dixon claims that after meeting Perry at the opening of Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta in September 2019, Perry began promising him career advancement, including producing his pilot and casting him in future projects while allegedly subjecting him to escalating sexual harassment when Dixon failed to reciprocate Perry’s alleged advances.
The complaint details a series of troubling incidents. Dixon alleges that Perry sent him suggestive text messages and, in January 2020, sexually assaulted him at the filmmaker’s home. He further claims that after filming a scene in which his character was shot, Perry invited him to his trailer and allegedly pinned him against a wall, groping him aggressively. A second alleged assault took place in June 2021 during a meeting at Perry’s residence to discuss Dixon’s pilot, Losing It, which Perry had reportedly expressed interest in producing.
Dixon’s suit cites multiple grounds, including quid pro quo sexual harassment, sexual battery, sexual assault, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and professional retaliation. He is demanding a jury trial and $260 million in damages.
Tyler Perry, through his attorney Matthew Boyd, has categorically denied the allegations. In a statement, Boyd dismissed Dixon’s claims as an attempt at extortion, describing him as “an individual who got close to Tyler Perry for what now appears to be nothing more than setting up a scam.”
“Tyler will not be shaken down, and we are confident these fabricated claims of harassment will fail,” Boyd added.
However, the case may become more complex following the leak of alleged text exchanges between Perry and Dixon, which could potentially impact the defense.
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