Hollywood mogul Tyler Perry has been slapped with a staggering $260 million lawsuit by actor Derek Dixon, who accuses him of sexual harassment, assault, and professional retaliation spanning nearly two years.
Dixon, best known for his roles in Perry’s TV shows Ruthless and The Oval, claims Perry manipulated his career prospects while subjecting him to coercive and sexually exploitative behaviour from late 2019 to mid-2021.
According to court documents cited by multiple outlets, the two first met at a studio event in Atlanta, after which Perry allegedly extended a small role to Dixon in Ruthless before inviting him to his home in early 2020. Dixon alleges he awoke from a drunken sleep in Perry’s guest room to find the filmmaker touching his thighs—an advance he says he rejected.
Despite the incident, Dixon soon landed a major role in The Oval, but claims Perry then began sending him sexually suggestive messages and used the direction of his character as leverage. The lawsuit includes alleged texts from Perry such as, “No straight man would be going on walks with you or cooking dinner for you unless they wanted to f** you. I would f*** you.”*
The situation reportedly escalated during a second visit to Perry’s Atlanta home, where Perry allegedly grabbed Dixon by the throat and asked if he “liked it rough.” The most serious accusation centres on a June 2021 incident, where Dixon says Perry entered his guest room, pulled down his underwear, groped him, and said, “Relax and just let it happen.”
Dixon says the continued harassment forced him to leave The Oval in 2024, costing him nearly $400,000 in earnings. His suit, filed after a formal complaint to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, names both Tyler Perry and Tyler Perry Studios, alleging quid pro quo harassment, sexual battery, and assault.
Perry’s legal team has strongly denied the claims. Attorney Matthew Boyd dismissed the allegations as entirely fabricated, accusing Dixon of engineering a financial scam.
“This is an individual who got close to Tyler Perry for what now appears to be nothing more than setting up a scam,” Boyd stated.
Meanwhile, Dixon’s lawyer Jonathan J. Delshad insists the facts are clear and that the lawsuit speaks for itself.
The case sets the stage for a high-profile legal battle that could have significant consequences for one of the most influential figures in entertainment. Tyler Perry and Tyler Perry Studios, alleging quid pro quo harassment, sexual battery, and assault.
Perry’s legal team has strongly denied the claims. Attorney Matthew Boyd dismissed the allegations as entirely fabricated, accusing Dixon of engineering a financial scam.
“This is an individual who got close to Tyler Perry for what now appears to be nothing more than setting up a scam,” Boyd stated.
Meanwhile, Dixon’s lawyer Jonathan J. Delshad insists the facts are clear and that the lawsuit speaks for itself.
The case sets the stage for a high-profile legal battle that could have significant consequences for one of the most influential figures in entertainment.
Story by Kelvin B. Annor-Yeboah | univers.ug.edu.gh
Edited by Kelvin B. Annor-Yeboah
