Popular Filmmaker, Tyler Perry is facing a $260 million sexual assault lawsuit filed by actor Derek Dixon, who appeared in Perry’s BET drama The Oval.
In an interview with ABC News on September 9, Dixon alleged that Perry created a coercive work environment that blurred professional boundaries and left him fearful for his career. Dixon claimed the filmmaker pulled down his underwear and grabbed his buttocks during an encounter at Perry’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 said.
The lawsuit, filed in June 2025, seeks damages for lost income and career opportunities, as well as what Dixon described as a deterrent against future misconduct. “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 explained.
Dixon also accused Perry of failing to honor a promise to produce a pilot Dixon had written, which he says Perry still controls. Despite the risks of going public, Dixon said he wanted to speak out “to protect future generations of actors and creatives,” adding: “Never exploit someone’s aspirations to coerce them into a relationship. That’s unprofessional.”
Perry has denied the allegations. His attorney, Matthew Boyd, said in a statement: “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.”
Dixon 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.
The case has added to ongoing scrutiny of workplace harassment and power dynamics in Hollywood. So far, Dixon remains the only publicly identified accuser.