Acclaimed filmmaker and producer Tyler Perry is facing a $260 million sexual assault lawsuit after actor Derek Dixon, a former cast member of Perry’s BET drama The Oval, publicly detailed allegations of harassment and abuse.
In an exclusive on-camera interview with ABC News on September 9, 2025, Dixon claimed Perry fostered a coercive relationship that blurred professional boundaries and left him fearful for his career.
Dixon alleged that Perry pulled down his underwear and grabbed his buttocks during an encounter at the producer’s Atlanta home.
“I was under constant stress, scared I’d lose my job or be killed off the show if I didn’t comply,” Dixon told ABC News.
The actor, who portrayed Dale in The Oval, explained that the $260 million lawsuit represents both compensation for personal and professional losses and a deterrent against abuse.
“Part of that number is my lost job, my lost income, the loss of a show. The other part of that is a deterrent for how do you stop a billionaire who won’t stop themselves from doing this,” he said.
Dixon also accused Perry of reneging on a promise to produce a pilot he had written, which he claims Perry continues to control.
Despite potential professional risks, Dixon said he chose to go public “to protect future generations of actors and creatives,” urging industry leaders never to exploit ambition for personal gain.
“Never exploit someone’s aspirations to coerce them into a relationship. That’s unprofessional,” he added.
Perry’s legal team, however, has strongly rejected the allegations. In a statement, Perry’s attorney, Matthew Boyd, described Dixon’s claims as part of “an elaborate scam.”
“This is an individual who got close to Tyler Perry for what now appears to be an elaborate scam. But Tyler will not be coerced, and we are confident that these unfounded harassment claims will not succeed,” Boyd said.
Dixon first joined Perry’s productions in 2020 and filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) in January 2024 before leaving The Oval later that year. He filed the lawsuit in June 2025, intensifying ongoing debates about workplace harassment and power dynamics in Hollywood.
So far, Dixon remains the only publicly identified accuser. Perry has denied all allegations.
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