• Derek Dixon alleges sexual assault and harassment by Tyler Perry in a $260 million lawsuit.
• Perry's lawyer dismissed the claims, calling the lawsuit a "scam."
• The lawsuit claims Perry used his influence to create a coercive environment for Dixon.
• Many incidents of alleged harassment occurred during filming of "The Oval."
• Dixon claims to have reported the harassment to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

Actor Derek Dixon filed a civil lawsuit against filmmaker Tyler Perry in Los Angeles Superior Court, accusing him of a series of sexual assaults and harassment while working on the BET series “The Oval.” The lawsuit seeks $260 million in damages, claiming Perry leveraged his power in the entertainment industry to create a “coercive, sexually exploitative dynamic,” promising Dixon career advancement while subjecting him to escalating sexual advances, harassment, and retaliation, according to BBC and Africanews.

The lawsuit details that Perry first noticed Dixon in 2019 when he was working as event staff at one of Perry's parties. Shortly thereafter, Perry offered Dixon roles in his productions, beginning with a small role in “Ruthless” and later in “The Oval.” Dixon alleges that Perry used his influence to promise career advancements while simultaneously sending unwanted, sexually suggestive text messages, including instances where Perry ostensibly offered Dixon more prominent roles in exchange for compliance with his advances, according to CBS News and Reuters.

Specific allegations include incidents where Perry allegedly assaulted Dixon on multiple occasions. One notable incident involved Perry groping Dixon while he was staying in a guest room at Perry's home, along with coercive threats regarding Dixon’s character on “The Oval.” According to the lawsuit, Perry made it clear that Dixon's character could be killed off if he ignored the advances or did not engage with sexual innuendos, as stated in reports from Los Angeles Times and HuffPost.

Perry's attorney, Matthew Boyd, has vehemently denied the allegations, characterizing the lawsuit as a "scam" aimed at extortion. He claimed that Perry would not be shaken down by fabricated claims and expressed confidence that the allegations would not stand up in court, as reported by Africanews and Reuters.

Dixon recounted several other instances of harassment and intimidation leading up to his decision to file a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in 2024 after he felt that no action had been taken against his claims. The lawsuit contends that when Dixon ultimately left “The Oval,” Perry retaliated by stating that Dixon could only convey that he was on medical leave. This allegation of retaliatory behavior highlights Perry's reputed control over the environment and circumstances surrounding Dixon's career, according to CBS News and Los Angeles Times.