Tyler Perry has been accused successful a civilian suit of repeatedly sexually assaulting and harassing an histrion connected "The Oval," a TV play that Perry created, according to a caller lawsuit. The suit, filed Friday successful Los Angeles Superior Court by the histrion Derek Dixon, alleges Perry utilized his power successful the amusement manufacture to forestall Dixon from speaking retired until now.
Matthew Boyd, an lawyer representing Perry, denied the allegations successful a connection obtained by CBS News connected Tuesday.
"This is an idiosyncratic who got adjacent to Tyler Perry for what present appears to beryllium thing much than mounting up a scam," the connection said. "But Tyler volition not beryllium shaken down and we are assured these fabricated claims of harassment volition fail."
Dixon appeared connected 85 episodes of "The Oval," which has had a six-season tally connected the web BET. The actor's astir caller appearances came during the latest play of the bid earlier this year, according to IMDB. His suit seeks astatine slightest $260 cardinal successful damages.
"Mr. Perry took his occurrence and powerfulness and utilized his sizeable power successful the amusement manufacture to make a coercive, sexually exploitative dynamic with Mr. Dixon—initially promising him vocation advancement and originative opportunities, specified arsenic producing his aviator and casting him successful his show, lone to taxable him to escalating intersexual harassment, battle and battery, and nonrecreational retaliation erstwhile Mr. Dixon did not reciprocate Mr. Perry's unwanted advances," the suit alleges.
It alleges the behaviour happened during Dixon's clip arsenic a bid regular connected "The Oval," erstwhile Perry "held nonstop power implicit his employment, compensation, and originative opportunities."
The lawsuit, archetypal reported Tuesday by TMZ, says that Perry archetypal noticed Dixon successful 2019 erstwhile Dixon was portion of the lawsuit unit astatine a Perry party, and aboriginal offered an audition.
Dixon would archetypal look successful a tiny relation connected the Perry bid "Ruthless" earlier getting the bigger relation connected the governmental play "The Oval."
Perry soon began sending unwanted intersexual substance messages to Dixon, according to the lawsuit, which includes alleged screenshots of respective of them.
"What's it going to instrumentality for you to person guiltless sex?" 1 of the messages says.
The suit claims Perry offered Dixon an progressively salient relation connected the amusement arsenic his intersexual advances became much aggressive.
In the lawsuit, the histrion says helium tried to stay affable portion maintaining boundaries.
"Dixon did his champion to tiptoe astir Mr. Perry's intersexual aggression portion keeping connected Mr. Perry's bully side," the suit says. "Mr. Perry made it wide to Dixon that if Dixon ignored Perry oregon failed to prosecute with the intersexual innuendoes, Dixon's quality would 'die.'"
The suit alleges Perry yet sexually assaulted Dixon connected "multiple occasions," including an lawsuit wherever helium "forcibly pulled disconnected Mr. Dixon's clothing, groped his buttocks, and attempted to unit himself connected Dixon."
Dixon intelligibly told Perry "No," but was initially ignored until helium was capable to de-escalate the concern and alteration the subject, according to the lawsuit.
The pursuing day, the suit claims, Perry apologized, and told Dixon helium would enactment with Dixon connected a TV aviator Dixon was seeking to produce.
Dixon says helium aboriginal received a rise that the suit suggests was portion of an effort to support him quiet.
He said the fearfulness of his quality dying kept him quiescent arsenic intended.
Perry besides produced and bought the rights to the pilot, called "Losing It," but the suit alleges Perry had nary volition of selling the amusement and was utilizing it lone for leverage implicit Dixon.
The suit describes respective different alleged assaults. In 1 of those alleged instances, the suit claims Perry climbed into furniture with Dixon, uninvited, and groped him portion Dixon was staying successful a impermanent country astatine Perry's house.
It besides alleges that Dixon yet moved from Atlanta, location to Perry's accumulation studio, to Los Angeles to enactment region betwixt the 2 of them, but "Mr. Perry continued to sexually harass Mr. Dixon."
Dixon successful 2024 filed a ailment with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, according to the lawsuit. The suit alleges that Dixon discontinue the amusement erstwhile its producer's did not instrumentality enactment to analyse his accusations, adjacent aft helium had filed that ailment with the EEOC.
CBS News and The Associated Press bash not typically sanction radical who accidental they person been sexually abused unless they travel guardant publically arsenic Dixon has.
"The Oval" is 1 of galore tv bid enforcement produced by, written by and directed by the 55-year-old Perry, who archetypal became known arsenic creator and prima of the "Madea" films and has since built a large accumulation empire successful TV and movies. As an histrion helium has besides appeared successful the films "Gone Girl" and "Don't Look Up."
English (US) ·