Actor and screenwriter Derek Dixon has filed a lawsuit against media mogul Tyler Perry, accusing him of repeated sexual harassment and assault over the course of several years.
The 46-page complaint, filed last week in Los Angeles County Superior Court, seeks $260 million in punitive damages and compares Perry’s alleged conduct to that of other high-profile figures in the entertainment industry who have faced sexual misconduct allegations.
According to the complaint, Perry allegedly used his wealth and influence to pursue a non-consensual sexual relationship with Dixon, offering career opportunities in exchange for silence and compliance. “Mr. Perry’s success has led him to believe that money and influence can get him whatever he wants,” the suit alleges. “He sought the one thing his wealth could not buy — a sexual relationship with a man who would remain silent.”
A spokesperson for Perry denied the allegations, characterising them as part of a calculated scheme. “Derek Dixon made efforts to ingratiate himself with Mr. Perry, and what now appears to be a setup for a financial shakedown. Tyler will not be extorted, and we are confident these fabricated claims will be dismissed,” the statement read.
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The lawsuit, published by Rolling stone, outlines a timeline that begins in 2019, when Perry allegedly offered Dixon — then working for an events company — his first acting role. Soon after, Perry invited Dixon to his home in Georgia, where he allegedly served him alcohol and encouraged him to stay overnight. According to the complaint, Perry entered Dixon’s guest room uninvited during the night and began groping him.
“Dixon kept informing Perry that he was not interested in sex, trying to avoid confrontation while not offending someone holding power over his budding career,” the suit states.
The complaint details escalating behavior from Perry, including sexually explicit text messages and persistent inquiries about Dixon’s sexual preferences. It also claims Perry treated Dixon as a personal “on-call pet,” contacting him daily while blurring professional and personal boundaries.
Dixon later joined the cast of Perry’s BET drama The Oval, where his character was scheduled to be killed off at the end of the season. However, Perry allegedly suggested that Dixon’s character could survive into future seasons if he “did a good job.” The lawsuit claims this insinuation made it clear to Dixon that his job security was contingent on maintaining a personal relationship with Perry.
The complaint accuses Perry of further sexual misconduct during a 2020 cast trip to the Bahamas and again in 2021 at Perry’s residence. In the latter incident, Perry allegedly pulled down Dixon’s underwear and groped him while he was naked and “seized by tremendous fear.”
Following the alleged assaults, the suit claims one of Perry’s attorneys congratulated Dixon, saying, “Christmas came early,” and informed him he had received a raise for his performance. Perry also agreed to purchase the rights to Losing It, a pilot script written by Dixon — a move the suit describes as a strategic effort to secure Dixon’s silence.
However, the lawsuit alleges Perry never intended to develop the show and only used it as leverage. “Perry was only using the show as a quid pro quo to Dixon, holding its production over his head like the sword of Damocles,” the complaint states.
Despite filming the pilot, the project was shelved, and Perry later offered Dixon a writing position on another show — an offer Dixon declined. He subsequently filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), though the current status of that complaint is unclear.
Dixon’s lawsuit paints a picture of coercion, manipulation, and abuse of power, alleging that Perry’s actions created a hostile environment in which professional advancement was conditioned on unwanted personal involvement.
Neither Perry nor his legal team have commented further on the case beyond the initial statement. As of now, no criminal charges have been filed.
