Tyler Perry Accused of Sexual Assault by 'The Oval' Actor: Here's What We Know
A BET drama has now turned into a real-life courtroom drama, complete with missing texts, unwanted advances, and a $260 million price tag.
Tyler Perry has just been hit with a $260 million lawsuit from actor Derek Dixon—yes, The Oval actor Derek Dixon—who's accusing the media mogul of everything from sexual harassment to full-blown assault. And if the court filing is to be believed, this one's been simmering for years.
According to Dixon, it all started back in 2019, when Perry allegedly approached him at an industry event, took his number, and hinted at a role. Fast forward to January 2020: Dixon says he was invited to Perry's Atlanta home, had a few drinks, crashed in a guest room, and then woke up to Perry in his bed, allegedly touching his thighs. Dixon claims he turned him down immediately and thought they were building a professional friendship—not whatever this was.
But according to the lawsuit, things didn't end there. Once he landed a role on The Oval, Dixon says Perry allegedly started sending provocative texts—asking about his sexual preferences, stating he was into men, and generally crossing every line HR ever warned about. He also claims there was an incident where Perry allegedly got physical, though the details haven't been made public beyond a mention in the filing.
Dixon says he kept quiet at the time because, well—career suicide. But after leaving The Oval, he took his case to the EEOC in June 2024, and now he's filing for damages against both Tyler Perry and Tyler Perry Studios. The charges include quid pro quo harassment, sexual assault, and battery.
Perry's legal team didn't waste time firing back. His attorney Matthew Boyd called the lawsuit a "scam," claiming Dixon cozied up to Perry just to set up a payday. "Tyler will not be shaken down," Boyd said, calling the allegations fabricated and bound to fail.
"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."
No trial date yet, but this story's just getting started.