Tyler Perry sued for $260 million by male actor over alleged sexual abuse

A male actor from Tyler Perry ‘s TV show “The Oval” is suing him for $260 million over sexual abuse.

Mr. Perry allegedly exposed Derek Dixon, who portrayed Dale on the show, “to escalating sexual harassment, assault and battery, and professional retaliation when Mr. Dixon did not reciprocate Mr. Perry’s unwanted advances,” according to Dixon’s lawsuit.

Mr. Perry’s attorney, Matthew Boyd, called the action a “scam” in a statement.

“We are certain that these false allegations of harassment will not succeed, and Tyler will not be deterred,” Mr. Boyd stated.

A request for a response from Mr. Dixon’s attorney was not immediately answered.

The lawsuit, filed Friday in a Los Angeles court, claims that Mr. Dixon first encountered Mr. Perry in 2019 while working for an event business that hosted the filmmaker’s party. According to Mr. Dixon, after exchanging phone numbers, Mr. Perry first offered him a promotion in his work.

The lawsuit claims that shortly after, Mr. Perry started sending Mr. Dixon sexually suggestive texts, including screenshots of the exchanges between the two men.

In one instance cited in the lawsuit, Mr. Perry invited Mr. Dixon to his house in Douglasville, Georgia, which is close to Atlanta, in 2020. After they had beverages together, Mr. Dixon stayed overnight in a guest room. According to the lawsuit, Mr. Perry entered Mr. Dixon’s bed during the night and started “rubbing Dixon’s body around his inner thigh in a highly sexual and suggestive manner.” The lawsuit claims that Mr. Dixon told Mr. Perry that he “wasn’t that sexual” after he leaped out of bed.

According to the lawsuit, Mr. Dixon then disregarded Mr. Perry’s texts until Mr. Perry extended an offer to work on “The Oval.”

The lawsuit also details a 2021 incident in which Mr. Dixon stayed at Mr. Perry’s house overnight. According to the lawsuit, Mr. Perry pulled down Mr. Dixon’s underwear and “began to vigorously grab, grope, and play with Dixon’s buttocks in a sexual manner” after asking for a good night hug.

With various well-liked television series and motion pictures that portray Black life in America, notably the “Madea” film series, in which he also stars, Mr. Perry has established a media empire. He opened a 330-acre studio complex in Atlanta in 2019, where big studios frequently shoot films and television series, such as “Black Panther,” “The Walking Dead,” and “Pitch Perfect 3.”