Tyler Perry Sued For $260M By Actor Claiming Sexual Harassment, Assault

Filmmaker Tyler Perry has been accused of sexual assault and is being sued for $260 million.

Actor Derek Dixon, who is best known for his work in “The Oval” and “Ruthless,” filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles accusing Perry of creating a “coercive, sexually exploitative dynamic” while he was working on those projects. 

Dixon claims to have turned down Perry’s “unwanted advances,” which he claims resulted in “escalating sexual harassment, assault and battery, and professional retaliation,” per The Associated Press. 

The actor said he met Perry while working at an event for Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta in 2019. Dixon alleges that the media mogul made sexually explicit comments and advances at that time, which he rebuffed. 

The lawsuit lists several specific instances of alleged abuse, including what Dixon concluded to be threats over the future of his career.

“Mr. Perry made it clear to Dixon that if Dixon ignored Perry or failed to engage with the sexual innuendos, Dixon’s character would ‘die’ in the next season [of ‘The Oval],” the document states, adding that it was “always held this over Mr Dixon’s head, implying that [his character] ‘Dale’ would survive if Dixon kept Perry ‘happy.’”

“Dixon did his best to tiptoe around Mr. Perry’s sexual aggression while keeping on Mr. Perry’s good side,” the document says.

During another alleged incident described in the lawsuit, the plaintiff claims Perry “forcibly pulled off Mr. Dixon’s clothing, groped his buttocks, and attempted to force himself on Dixon.”

Perry’s attorney denied the allegations on behalf of his client, saying they were nothing more than a shakedown.

“This is an individual who got close to Tyler Perry for what now appears to be nothing more than setting up a scam,” Boyd said in a statement to AP. “But Tyler will not be shaken down, and we are confident these fabricated claims of harassment will fail.”

Perry is a filmmaker, playwright, and actor who gained national recognition with his stage plays in the early 2000s, particularly those featuring the character Madea. He has written, produced, acted in, and directed numerous films and television shows.

In 2019, he opened Tyler Perry Studios, a 330-acre production facility in Atlanta. Forbes listed him as the highest-paid man in entertainment in 2011, and in 2020, he became a billionaire, the outlet reported.