Tyler Perry, one of Hollywood’s most powerful media moguls, is facing serious allegations from actor Derek Dixon, who filed a lawsuit claiming sexual harassment, assault, and battery stemming from their professional relationship on Perry’s hit show The Oval.
According to court documents obtained by TMZ, Dixon alleges that Perry’s conduct began in 2019, shortly after the two met at an event. Dixon says Perry approached him, asked for his phone number, and later offered him a minor role on Ruthless. What initially appeared to be a career opportunity quickly turned uncomfortable, according to the suit.
In January 2020, Dixon claims Perry invited him to his Atlanta home under the guise of building a friendship and establishing a mentor-mentee relationship. During this visit, Dixon says he drank too much and slept in a guest room, only to wake up and find Perry in the bed, touching his thighs. Dixon alleges he rejected Perry’s advances that night, but says the inappropriate behavior continued.
Shortly after, Dixon landed the recurring role of Dale on The Oval. While the role marked a professional breakthrough, Dixon claims it came at a troubling cost. He accuses Perry of sending sexually suggestive text messages, including questions about his sexual preferences and statements like “I would f**k you.” He also claims Perry told him he was looking for a partner who, like his character Dale, would be loyal and dependent on him.
Dixon says he feared that outright rejection would end his career. Instead, he tried to distance himself subtly, telling Perry he wasn’t “the sexual type.” Despite that, he alleges the harassment intensified. In a separate alleged incident later in 2020, Dixon claims Perry grabbed him by the throat during a sexually charged conversation and commented, “Look how excited you just got.”
The most severe allegation occurred in June 2021, when Dixon says Perry pulled down his underwear and groped him while attempting to initiate a sexual act. Dixon says he deflected the advance by changing the subject.
Dixon claims he ultimately filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) in June 2024, citing ongoing sexual harassment. He later resigned from The Oval, saying the alleged abuse had become intolerable.
The lawsuit names both Tyler Perry and Tyler Perry Studios as defendants and seeks $260 million in damages for alleged quid pro quo harassment, workplace harassment, and sexual assault.
Perry, through his attorney Matthew Boyd, has denied all allegations. In a statement, Boyd said:
“This is an individual who got close to Tyler Perry for what now appears to be nothing more than setting up a scam. But Tyler will not be shaken down and we are confident these fabricated claims of harassment will fail.”
As of now, no trial date has been set, and the case remains under review by the legal team.
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