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Derek Dixon, a rising actor known for his roles as Dale on Tyler Perry’s Ruthless and The Oval, has gone public with explosive allegations against Tyler Perry, claiming the Hollywood mogul subjected him to sexual harassment, assault, and retaliation. In a $260 million lawsuit filed June 13 in Los Angeles Superior Court, Dixon accuses Perry of creating “a coercive, sexually exploitative dynamic” while allegedly dangling career opportunities in exchange for sexual favors, Yahoo reported Saturday.
According to the lawsuit, Perry promised to produce Dixon’s pilot and cast him in shows, but the professional relationship allegedly shifted into one marked by escalating abuse after Dixon rejected Perry’s advances. The complaint includes graphic claims, such as Perry allegedly pinning Dixon against a trailer wall and groping him in a sexual manner, as well as multiple incidents of alleged assault at Perry’s home.
The lawsuit outlines claims of quid pro quo sexual harassment, sexual battery, assault, retaliation, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Dixon is requesting a jury trial and $260 million in damages.
Perry has denied all allegations. In a statement to People, his attorney characterized the lawsuit as an attempted shakedown, stating, “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.”
In his first public comments since filing the suit, Dixon spoke to The Hollywood Reporter via email. “I couldn’t just let him get away with this,” he said, describing the process of filing the lawsuit as “terrifying.”
“Everyone deserves to go to work and do their job without their boss trying to have sex with them,” Dixon continued. “My goal is to help ensure that the next generation of actors and creatives don’t have to choose between their dreams and their dignity.”
Dixon said the personal and professional consequences of speaking out have already been severe. “This is why people, especially men, don’t come forward. I was too afraid to come forward. I knew it would be awful. And I was right.”
He also said he attempted to resolve the matter privately before filing the lawsuit, but concluded that private settlements rarely lead to systemic change. “There are always attempts to resolve situations like this privately, but they never result in the type of change necessary to protect further victims. At the end of the day, my absolute fear is that he will be able to continue doing this without any major consequences.”
Reflecting on the experience, Dixon admitted that for a time, he convinced himself that this was just “part of the industry.” But ultimately, he said, “I couldn’t stay silent anymore.”
If you’re the victim of quid pro quo sexual harassment, visit our legal guide to learn about your rights. You may also fill out the brief, confidential form below so that our intake team may connect you with an empathetic, skilled attorney who will review your case at no cost to you.
