Tyler Perry accuser breaks silence after $260M lawsuit: ‘I couldn't stay silent anymore'
Actor Derek Dixon, who filed a $260 million lawsuit against filmmaker and Atlanta studio owner Tyler Perry last month, is opening up about the emotional toll of his decision to come forward, saying it has been 'terrifying,' but that he 'couldn't just let him get away with this.'
'Everyone deserves to go to work and do their job without their boss trying to have sex with them,' Dixon told The Hollywood Reporter in his first public interview since filing the complaint. 'My goal is to help ensure that the next generation of actors and creatives don't have to choose between their dreams and their dignity.'
Dixon admitted he wrestled with his experience privately for a long time, trying to justify it as just something that came with working in the industry.
"But eventually, I couldn't stay silent anymore," he said.
Filed on June 13, the suit accuses Perry of quid pro quo sexual harassment, work environment harassment, sexual assault and battery, retaliation, and intentional infliction of emotional distress, according to court filings and reporting by USA TODAY.
"Dixon is seeking $260 million due to allegedly being targeted by Perry, who he said sought 'a coercive, sexually exploitative dynamic with Mr. Dixon,'" USA TODAY wrote. "Perry initially approached Dixon with career opportunities and cast him in the BET+ show 'Ruthless,' the lawsuit says. Dixon eventually ended up on the BET show 'The Oval,' which is Dixon's biggest onscreen credit; he appeared in 85 episodes from 2021 to 2025."
Perry's attorney, Matthew Boyd, responded in a statement saying the claims are 'fabricated' and part of a scam.
'Tyler will not be shaken down,' Boyd said, denying the allegations on Perry's behalf, according to USA TODAY.
The legal battle unfolds against the backdrop of Perry's growing empire in Georgia. As one of the state's most prominent media figures, Perry's studio has been credited with helping turn Atlanta into a booming production hub.
Perry is an Atlanta-based playwright, filmmaker, and actor. He owns Tyler Perry Studios, which is also in Atlanta, where this movie was filmed.
He is most known for his roles in:
Madea Goes to Jail
Madea's Family Reunion
Gone Girl
Diary of a Mad Black Woman
Vanessa Countryman is the Trending Topics Reporter for the the Deep South Connect Team Georgia. Email her at Vcountryman@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Tyler Perry sexual harassment lawsuit: Derek Dixon speaks out
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