Tyler Perry Accused of Sexual Assault in $260 Million Lawsuit

US film and TV giant Tyler Perry is being sued for alleged sexual assault, battery, and workplace sexual harassment by an actor who worked with Perry for years.

According to the complaint, Derek Dixon accused Perry of creating "a coercive, sexually exploitative dynamic" between them while he was starring on the filmmaker's shows "The Oval" and "Ruthless", on which Dixon starred as a character named Dale.

The complaint accused Perry of "initially promising him career advancement and creative opportunities, such as producing his pilot and casting him in his show, only to subject him to escalating sexual harassment, assault and battery, and professional retaliation when Mr. Dixon did not reciprocate Mr. Perry's unwanted advances."

In response, Matthew Boyd, Perry’s lawyer, said the lawsuit is a “shakedown.”

“This is an individual who got close to Tyler Perry for what now appears to be nothing more than setting up a scam,” he said. “But Tyler will not be shaken down and we are confident these fabricated claims of harassment will fail.”

Dixon claimed he met Perry in September 2019 when working the opening party for Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta, Georgia.

Dixon alleged that, over the next few months, Perry often texted him, sometimes with suggestive advances, but also that he wanted to find Dixon a job and change his life. 

In November 2019, Dixon claimed Perry offered him a small role on "Ruthless".

Dixon claimed that Perry sexually assaulted him at Perry's home in January 2020, and the next month, he offered Dixon a series regular role on "The Oval", the complaint states.

The actor alleged that upon reading the script for his first season, he discovered his character's fate was left up in the air in the finale.

"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 alleged. "Indeed, Dixon's character 'Dale' was shot four times in the chest at the end of his first season on 'The Oval,' and Perry always held this over Mr. Dixon's head, implying that 'Dale' would survive if Dixon kept Perry 'happy.'"

Dixon recounted a moment after filming the scene in which his character was shot, Perry invited him to his trailer, where he allegedly pinned him to the wall of his trailer and began aggressively groping Dixon's backside in a sexual motion.

In the complaint, The actor claimed he was similarly groped during a cast trip to the Bahamas in October 2020.

Dixon alleged that in December 2020 he visited a physician who indicated that Dixon's "exhibited severe symptoms of acute stress, insomnia, stomach issues, and dangerously low cortisol levels due to the sexual harassment and assault" and prescribed him Zoloft, an antidepressant.

Dixon claimed Perry invited him to his house again in June 2021 to discuss Dixon's pilot for his show "Losing It", which Perry had expressed interest in producing. 

He alleged he was again sexually assaulted by Perry at this meeting.

Over the next five months, Dixon said he "suffered from severe depression, anxiety, stomach pains, and nausea" and was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following the alleged incidents.

Dixon claimed that Perry's "fixers" offered him a raise to return to "The Oval" and that Perry would buy the right to produce his show, "Losing It".

Dixon informed Perry in January 2023 that he was moving to California to "put some distance" between them.

Dixon continued to star on "The Oval" but left during the show's final season, a move he claimed resulted in him losing out on close to $400,000.

According to the complaint, the actor is suing Perry for sexual harassment, sexual battery, sexual assault, intentional infliction of emotional distress, retaliation, and more. He is requesting a jury trial and for damages of $260 million.