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Actor and director Tyler Perry has been hit with sexual harassment, workplace gender violence and sexual assault accusations in a new lawsuit filed last week by Derek Dixon.
Dixon, who has worked on Perry’s shows Ruthless and The Oval, has alleged that Perry promised career advancement while subjecting him to “escalating sexual harassment, assault and battery.”
He also claimed that Perry “held direct control over his employment, compensation, and creative opportunities,” and claimed he faced professional consequences if he rejected advances.
Perry has denied allegations, calling them "fabricated claims".
“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 in a statement. “But Tyler will not be shaken down and we are confident these fabricated claims of harassment will fail.”
The lawsuit is seeking around £200 million (approximately $250 million) in damages.
Here's a breakdown of everything we know:
Who is Derek Dixon?
Derek Dixon is a playwright and actor from North Carolina, predominantly known for his role as Dale in The Oval and Ruthless, two of Perry's productions. Dixon also won the 2016 Essential Theatre Playwriting Award, with work including The Lion in Winter, Romeo and Juliet, and The Boys In The Band.
He wrote both Homewrecker and Green Light, among other plays.
How did Derek Dixon and Tyler Perry meet?
According to the lawsuit obtained by People, Dixon said he met Perry at an opening party in 2019 for Perry's studio in Atlanta, Georgia. Dixon was working for an events company at the time.
Perry allegedly "picked [Dixon] out of a crowd of employees present at the Party, and began asking [Dixon] questions about his employment status, and whether Plaintiff was an actor," with claims he began texting Dixon about his career aspirations.
Perry later offered Dixon a role on Ruthless, promising that "it was a small role that could get a lot bigger".
What does the lawsuit say?
The lawsuit, filed on 13 June, accused Perry of having "a troubling pattern of exploiting vulnerable male actors and employees," and that his success "has led him to believe that money and influence can get him whatever he wants."
“Tyler Perry has been using his power and influence to molest, abuse, and sexually assault impressionable and vulnerable employees and actors who look to him for guidance and mentorship,” it alleged.
Dixon claimed that shortly after his first acting job, he was invited to Perry's home, where they drank and conversed. Dixon agreed to stay after Perry urged him not to drive home.
"Dixon agreed and was escorted to a separate guest room, not knowing that this was a ruse to allow Perry to assault Dixon. Dixon was tired and did not have pyjamas and so he got into bed only wearing underwear. Before he knew what was happening, Dixon felt someone else slip into bed behind him and start rubbing Dixon’s body around his inner thigh in a highly sexual and suggestive manner," the lawsuit alleged.
It went on to accuse Perry of multiple sexual harassment and assault incidents over the years.
"On multiple occasions, Mr. Perry sexually assaulted Mr. Dixon, including one instance where he forcibly pulled off Mr. Dixon’s clothing, groped his buttocks, and attempted to force himself on Dixon," it claimed.
There were also accusations of Perry threatening to kill off Dixon's character from the show if he "failed to engage with the sexual innuendos".
"Indeed, Dixon's character 'Dale' was shot four times in the chest at the end of his first season on The Oval and Perry always held this over Mr. Dixon's head, implying that 'Dale' would survive if Dixon kept Perry 'happy,'" it alleged.
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
If you are in the UK, Rape Crisis offers support for those affected by rape and sexual abuse. You can call them on 0808 802 9999 in England and Wales, 0808 801 0302 in Scotland, and 0800 0246 991 in Northern Ireland, or visit their website at www.rapecrisis.org.uk.
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