A substantial $260 million lawsuit has been leveled against entertainment titan Tyler Perry, with actor Derek Dixon alleging a pattern of sexual harassment, assault, and career sabotage.
Dixon, who featured in 85 episodes of Perry’s BET series The Oval, filed the explosive complaint in Los Angeles Superior Court, asserting that Perry leveraged his considerable influence to exploit Dixon, promising professional advancement in exchange for compliance.
The legal action details a disturbing timeline, with Dixon claiming inappropriate messages from Perry began as early as 2019, following their initial meeting at a private gathering. The complaint further alleges that over subsequent years, these overtures escalated into multiple instances of sexual assault, despite Dixon’s consistent objections.
As evidence, the lawsuit includes screenshots of messages, and Dixon contends that Perry later offered apologies and attempted to maintain control. This alleged manipulation reportedly included a pay raise and an offer to develop a pilot script penned by Dixon, titled Losing It.
Dixon’s filing suggests Perry acquired the rights to this project with no genuine intent of production, instead using it as a tool for leverage.
In response to the serious accusations, Tyler Perry’s attorney, Matthew Boyd, issued a swift and forceful denial on Tuesday. Boyd, in a statement to the press, dismissed the allegations as “fabricated” and accused Dixon of attempting to extort the filmmaker. “Tyler will not be shaken down, and we are confident these fabricated claims of harassment will fail,” Boyd asserted, indicating a robust legal defense.
The lawsuit illuminates Dixon’s reluctance to initially come forward, citing fears of professional repercussions, including the potential removal of his character from The Oval. After relocating from Atlanta to Los Angeles, Dixon pursued formal action by filing a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in 2024. Following an unresolved outcome from that process, he subsequently resigned from the television series.
The Associated Press, adhering to its policy of generally not identifying individuals in sexual assault cases unless they choose to come forward publicly, noted Dixon’s decision to do so in this high-profile matter.
