Tyler Perry has been accused of alleged sexual assault by an actor from his in style TV sequence “The Oval,” The Submit can verify.
In keeping with court docket paperwork obtained by The Submit, actor Derek Dixon sued Perry, 55, for alleged sexual assault and sexual harassment in a lawsuit filed with the Superior Court docket of California in Los Angeles on June 13.
Dixon claimed that Perry “took his success and power and used his considerable influence in the entertainment industry to create a coercive, sexually exploitative dynamic with” the actor.
When Dixon didn’t reciprocate Perry’s alleged advances, he claimed the media mogul purportedly started to “subject him to escalating sexual harassment, assault and battery, and professional retaliation,” per the lawsuit.
Dixon claimed that he first met the “Diary of a Mad Black Woman” creator at an occasion in 2019 and that Perry “picked” him “out of a crowd” and later requested for his cellphone quantity whereas suggesting that he may need a job for the actor.
Perry then solid Dixon in two episodes of his BET+ sequence “Ruthless.”
“Perry said it was a small role that could get a lot bigger, thereby setting up the first stage in a series of escalating quid pro quo offers,” Dixon alleged within the lawsuit.
In January 2020, the “House of Payne” producer allegedly invited Dixon to his house in Douglasville County, Ga.
Though Dixon hoped “that he would be given a chance to befriend Perry and show him how talented an actor” he was, Dixon claimed that he was allegedly “served many alcoholic drinks” and satisfied to spend the night time on the mogul’s house.
“At the end of the night, Perry told Dixon not to drive home,” the lawsuit learn. “Perry said it was dangerous and that Dixon was too ‘inebriated’ 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 pajamas and so he got into bed only wearing underwear,” the criticism continued. “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. Dixon turned around and saw that Tyler Perry was in bed with him.”
Shortly after the alleged incident, Perry solid Dixon in “The Oval” and allegedly advised the actor to stop his different job as an occasion staffer as a result of “Perry was not able to control Dixon so long as Dixon had a secondary income that was providing for his basic needs.”
Dixon claimed his function as Dale in “The Oval” was “written as a gay, homeless, and desperate store clerk” who was pressured to “sleep with one of the other characters for a place to stay” as a result of that was what Perry was allegedly in search of in a real-life accomplice.
Essentially the most stunning accusation allegedly unfolded in June 2021 when Dixon claimed he was virtually raped by Perry whereas as soon as once more visiting the leisure mogul’s Georgia house.
He alleged that Perry pulled down his underwear and groped his butt after asking for a “good night” hug.
“Rather than arguing, Dixon complied, at which point Perry reached out and yanked Dixon’s underwear down from behind,” the claims within the lawsuit acknowledged. “Perry then began to vigorously grab, grope, and play with Dixon’s buttocks in a sexual manner. Dixon was naked, stunned and seized by tremendous fear.”
“Dixon started to tell Perry that he ‘did not want [his] underwear down,’ that Dixon ‘didn’t want to be naked,’ and that Dixon ‘didn’t want this,’” the lawsuit continued. “Dixon quickly reached to pull his underwear back up. As soon as he did, Perry grabbed Dixon’s reaching arm with a tight grip and held fast.”
In keeping with the court docket paperwork, Dixon was capable of distract Perry and alter the topic earlier than the alleged incident went any additional.
Dixon in the end filed a criticism with the Equal Employment Alternative Fee in or round June 2024 earlier than quitting “The Oval” due to the alleged sexual harassment, per the lawsuit.
In addition to his many accusations towards Perry, Dixon additionally included a number of years’ value of alleged textual content message exchanges between him and the “Madea” creator in his submitting.
Dixon is suing Perry and Tyler Perry Studios for quid professional quo sexual harassment, work setting harassment, sexual harassment, office gender violence, sexual battery, sexual assault, retaliation, and extra.
He’s additionally looking for $260 million in damages.
“Just like Harvey Weinstein, Bill Cosby, R. Kelly, Sean ‘P-Diddy’ Combs, Kevin Spacey, Roger Ailes, and many others in the industry, Mr. Perry’s success has led him to believe that money and influence can get him whatever he wants,” Dixon wrote in his lawsuit.
“That belief slowly transformed into the false idea that Mr. Perry can get whomever he wants,” he added. “There are things in life that money cannot buy.”
Perry’s lawyer, Matthew Boyd, denied the claims, telling The Submit, “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.”
