Award-winning filmmaker and media mogul Tyler Perry is being sued for alleged sexual assault and harassment by The Oval actor Derek Dixon, according to legal documents obtained by TMZ.
The lawsuit, which seeks $260 million (R4.9 billion) in damages, accuses Perry of inappropriate behaviour spanning several years. However, Perry’s legal team has dismissed the claims, calling them a “scam.”
How it allegedly started
Dixon says he first met Perry at an industry event in 2019, where the director apparently singled him out from the crowd and asked for his contact details, hinting at a potential acting role.
Dixon later secured a small part in two episodes of Perry’s spin-off series, Ruthless. In January 2020, Perry reportedly invited him to his Atlanta home. According to the lawsuit, during this visit, Dixon became intoxicated and slept in the guest room, where Perry allegedly entered and made unwanted physical advances.
From Ruthless to The Oval
Following the initial encounter, Dixon was cast as Dale on Perry’s hit series The Oval. While this role helped boost his career, the actor claims Perry began sending sexually suggestive text messages , including conversations about sexual preferences and past relationships with men.
Dixon alleges that his character — a homeless, gay store clerk — was designed to reflect what Perry allegedly wanted in a real-life partner : someone loyal and dependent.
Alleged incidents escalate
Dixon outlines multiple disturbing incidents in the lawsuit, including an encounter in late 2020 where Perry allegedly asked him about rough sex and grabbed his throat, saying, “Look how excited you just got.” Another incident occurred in June 2021, when Perry allegedly pulled down Dixon’s underwear while giving him a hug, telling him to “relax and just let it happen.”
Dixon says he avoided full confrontation out of fear for his career, but finally filed a complaint with the Equal Employment and Opportunity Commission (EEOC) in June 2024. He then resigned from The Oval, stating that the environment was too toxic to continue.
The legal case
Dixon is suing Perry and Tyler Perry Studios for Quid pro quo harassment, Workplace sexual harassment and Sexual assault and battery. The actor claims the harassment left him in emotional distress and unable to continue working under such conditions.
Tyler Perry’s legal representative responds
Perry’s legal representative, Matthew Boyd, told TMZ, “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, Tyler Perry has not publicly commented beyond the legal statement. The story is still developing.
Kayla Oaddams / Stringer|Getty Images
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