An actor on the show “The Oval” has filed a lawsuit against producer-actor-writer-director Tyler Perry, claiming he sexually assaulted him repeatedly and harassed him.
Derek Dixon filed the suit in Los Angeles Superior Court and is asking for at least $260 million in damages, The Associated Press reported.
He is also asking that the case be heard in front of a jury, The Washington Post reported.
Dixon was on 85 episodes of “The Oval,” a BET drama created by Perry.
“Mr. Perry took his success and power and used his considerable influence in the entertainment industry to create a coercive, sexually exploitative dynamic with Mr. Dixon — initially promising him career advancement and creative opportunities, such as producing his pilot and casting him in his show, only to subject him to escalating sexual harassment, assault and battery, and professional retaliation,” Dixon claimed in the lawsuit filed on Friday, the AP reported.
Perry’s attorney said the allegations are unfounded and a scam.
“This is an individual who got close to Tyler Perry for what now appears to be nothing more than setting up a scam,” Matthew Boyd said. “But Tyler will not be shaken down, and we are confident these fabricated claims of harassment will fail.”
Dixon, in the suit, said that Perry noticed him at a 2019 party thrown by Perry and that Perry eventually offered Dixon an audition.
He got a small role in “Ruthless.”
Dixon claims he was staying in a guest room at Perry’s home in 2020 when the producer/director climbed into bed with him and groped him, The New York Times reported.
Dixon said that Perry then started sending unwanted sexual text messages, and at one point, offered a larger role in “The Oval” as the advances increased, according to the Times.
“Dixon did his best to tiptoe around Mr. Perry’s sexual aggression while keeping on Mr. Perry’s good side,” he said in the suit. “Mr. Perry made it clear to Dixon that if Dixon ignored Perry or failed to engage with the sexual innuendoes, Dixon’s character would ‘die.’”
Dixon said Perry eventually sexually assaulted him several times, including, “forcibly pulled off Mr. Dixon’s clothing, groped his buttocks, and attempted to force himself on Dixon.”
Dixon said he told Perry “no” but was ignored. He said he was able to eventually de-escalate the situation, and the next day, Perry apologized, telling the actor he would work on a pilot Dixon was trying to produce. Dixon said he also got a raise that he thought was a payoff to stay quiet, the AP reported.
Dixon moved from Atlanta to Los Angeles in 2023 and filed a complaint last year with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. He said nothing happened with the complaint, so he quit the show, the AP reported.
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