Tyler Perry has been accused of alleged sexual assault by an actor from his popular TV series “The Oval,” The Post can confirm.
According to court documents obtained by The Post, actor Derek Dixon sued Perry, 55, for alleged sexual assault and sexual harassment in a lawsuit filed with the Superior Court of California in Los Angeles on June 13.
Dixon claimed that Perry “took his success and power and used his considerable influence in the entertainment industry to create a coercive, sexually exploitative dynamic with” the actor.
When Dixon did not reciprocate Perry’s alleged advances, he claimed the media mogul purportedly began to “subject him to escalating sexual harassment, assault and battery, and professional retaliation,” per the lawsuit.
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Dixon claimed that he first met the “Diary of a Mad Black Woman” creator at an event in 2019 and that Perry “picked” him “out of a crowd” and later asked for his phone number while suggesting that he might have a role for the actor.
Perry then cast Dixon in two episodes of his BET+ series “Ruthless.”
“Perry said it was a small role that could get a lot bigger, thereby setting up the first stage in a series of escalating quid pro quo offers,” Dixon alleged in the lawsuit.
In January 2020, the “House of Payne” producer allegedly invited Dixon to his home in Douglasville County, Ga.
Although Dixon hoped “that he would be given a chance to befriend Perry and show him how talented an actor” he was, Dixon claimed that he was allegedly “served many alcoholic drinks” and convinced to spend the night at the mogul’s home.
“At the end of the night, Perry told Dixon not to drive home,” the lawsuit read. “Perry said it was dangerous and that Dixon was too ‘inebriated’ to drive home. Dixon agreed and was escorted to a separate guest room, not knowing that this was a ruse to allow Perry to assault Dixon.”
“Dixon was tired and did not have pajamas and so he got into bed only wearing underwear,” the complaint continued. “Before he knew what was happening, Dixon felt someone else slip into bed behind him and start rubbing Dixon’s body around his inner thigh in a highly sexual and suggestive manner. Dixon turned around and saw that Tyler Perry was in bed with him.”
Shortly after the alleged incident, Perry cast Dixon in “The Oval” and allegedly told the actor to quit his other job as an event staffer because “Perry was not able to control Dixon so long as Dixon had a secondary income that was providing for his basic needs.”
Dixon claimed his role as Dale in “The Oval” was “written as a gay, homeless, and desperate store clerk” who was forced to “sleep with one of the other characters for a place to stay” because that was what Perry was allegedly looking for in a real-life partner.
The most shocking accusation allegedly unfolded in June 2021 when Dixon claimed he was almost raped by Perry while once again visiting the entertainment mogul’s Georgia home.
He alleged that Perry pulled down his underwear and groped his butt after asking for a “good night” hug.
“Rather than arguing, Dixon complied, at which point Perry reached out and yanked Dixon’s underwear down from behind,” the claims in the lawsuit stated. “Perry then began to vigorously grab, grope, and play with Dixon’s buttocks in a sexual manner. Dixon was naked, stunned and seized by tremendous fear.”
“Dixon started to tell Perry that he ‘did not want [his] underwear down,’ that Dixon ‘didn’t want to be naked,’ and that Dixon ‘didn’t want this,’” the lawsuit continued. “Dixon quickly reached to pull his underwear back up. As soon as he did, Perry grabbed Dixon’s reaching arm with a tight grip and held fast.”
According to the court documents, Dixon was able to distract Perry and change the subject before the alleged incident went any further.
Dixon ultimately filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in or around June 2024 before quitting “The Oval” because of the alleged sexual harassment, per the lawsuit.
Besides his many accusations against Perry, Dixon also included several years’ worth of alleged text message exchanges between him and the “Madea” creator in his filing.
Dixon is suing Perry and Tyler Perry Studios for quid pro quo sexual harassment, work environment harassment, sexual harassment, workplace gender violence, sexual battery, sexual assault, retaliation, and more.
He is also seeking $260 million (approximately Ksh33.54 billion) in damages.
“Just like Harvey Weinstein, Bill Cosby, R. Kelly, Sean ‘P-Diddy’ Combs, Kevin Spacey, Roger Ailes, and many others in the industry, Mr. Perry’s success has led him to believe that money and influence can get him whatever he wants,” Dixon wrote in his lawsuit.
“That belief slowly transformed into the false idea that Mr. Perry can get whomever he wants,” he added. “There are things in life that money cannot buy.”
Perry’s attorney, Matthew Boyd, denied the claims, telling The Post, “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.”
(New York Post)
