Producer Tyler Perry accused of sexual harassment and assault in lawsuit
FILE PHOTO: Tyler Perry poses during the Met Gala, an annual fundraising gala held for the benefit of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute with this year's theme 'Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,' in New York City, New York, U.S., May 5, 2025. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni/File Photo
An actor on the U.S. BET television show "The Oval" has filed a civil lawsuit that accuses media mogul Tyler Perry of repeated sexual assault and harassment.
Derek Dixon is seeking $260 million in punitive damages from Perry in a lawsuit filed Friday in Los Angeles Superior Court and reported by TMZ on Tuesday.
In the suit, Dixon accuses Perry of "a sustained pattern of workplace sexual harassment, assault and retaliation."
An attorney for Perry called the lawsuit "a scam."
"This is an individual who got close to Tyler Perry for what now appears to be nothing more than a scam," attorney Matthew Boyd said in a statement. "But Tyler Perry will not be shaken down and we are confident these fabricated claims of harassment will fail."
Perry is a successful actor, writer and producer of dozens of TV shows and films, including the "Madea" movie series. Forbes estimates his net worth at $1.4 billion.
The lawsuit claims Perry met Dixon when he was working on the event staff at a party Perry was hosting, and that Perry offered him a role on the series "Ruthless" in 2019 and a bigger part later on "The Oval."
Dixon alleges that Perry sent unwanted, sexually suggestive text messages to him. The suit includes screenshots of what it said were exchanges between the two.
"What's it going to take for you to have guiltless sex?" said one of the messages that Dixon said was from Perry.
After the messages, Perry's behavior escalated to sexual assault, the lawsuit said.
One night at Perry's home, the lawsuit said, Perry told Dixon he was too drunk to drive and urged him to stay in a guest room. Dixon said he woke up in the middle of the night to find Perry in bed with him and rubbing his thigh.
In another case, Perry "forcibly pulled off Mr. Dixon's clothing, groped his buttocks, and attempted to force himself on Dixon," the lawsuit said.
Dixon tried to remain friendly with Perry while rebuffing his advances in order to keep his job, the lawsuit said. Perry made it clear to Dixon that his TV character could be killed off if he ignored Perry or did not take part in his "sexual innuendos," the lawsuit said. REUTERS
Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
International Business Times
8 hours ago
- International Business Times
Who Is Leanna Perry? Drunk Passenger Who Grabbed Woman's Hair in Bizarre Meltdown Is NYC Fashionista Who Has Worked with Top Brands
The drunk passenger who grabbed a woman's hair and spat in her face during a chaotic outburst on a Southwest Airlines flight is a New York City-based artist, who has worked with several high-profile brands such as Maybelline, Steve Madden, and Adidas, according to her online portfolio. Leanna Perry, a 32-year-old illustrator, was caught on camera lashing out at other passengers and having a violent meltdown as both travelers and airline staff made desperate efforts to remove her from a plane at LaGuardia Airport early Tuesday morning. Perry's bizarre outburst prompted some witnesses to say she appeared "possessed" before she was taken off the aircraft forcefully and charged with assault. Violent Meltdown of a Fashionista A passenger who captured the bizarre incident on video told the Daily Mail that Perry was so violent, she even "knocked the glasses off a Southwest employee." After being atken off the flight, Perry was arrested on suspicion of aggravated assault, the Port Authority Police Department said. Prior to her dramatic meltdown, Perry had showcased her artwork on her personal website and social media platforms — all of which she quickly took down after the Daily Mail reached out for comment. According to her now-deleted accounts, she had recently created pieces and worked for major brands like Adidas, MAC, Maybelline, Hot Topic, Shein, and more. Her impressive portfolio also included art created for renowned fashion designers Betsey Johnson and Nicole Miller. A year ago, she had announced on her now-removed LinkedIn profile that she began working for cosmetics giant Maybelline New York. In her position, Perry said that she would "be designing the look of the brand across all e-commerce platforms' with the 'iconic NYC brand." High-Flying Life Perry lives in a sprawling one-bedroom apartment in a high-rise building in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, with a monthly rent of $4,000. Social media posts have shown her actively participating in New York City's fashion scene, attending various runway shows and industry events. Originally from the small Midwestern town of Lee's Summit, Missouri — located roughly half an hour from Kansas City — Perry was raised alongside her three brothers. Perry has also worked with fashion designers Betsey Johnson and Nicole Miller, according to her online résumé. Authorities said that Perry was "intoxicated" when she was removed from the plane prior to takeoff. Video footage captured her shouting at a female passenger, hurling the insult "fat ass bitch," and forcefully pulling the woman's hair. Video footage shows Perry screaming, "Shut the f–k up, don't f–king touch me!" at the shocked woman before other passengers and airline crew stepped in to intervene. Despite repeated requests from both the crew and fellow travelers to release the woman's hair, Perry refused to let go. Eventually, airline staff managed to separate them, restraining Perry by zip-tying her hands behind her back.
Straits Times
19 hours ago
- Straits Times
UK farm swops milk for cow cuddles as floods and food prices take their toll
It took Dumble Farm over a year to train the cows to feel comfortable with cuddling, but now the animals have fully adjusted. PHOTO: AFP UK farm swops milk for cow cuddles as floods and food prices take their toll ARRAM, England - Years of floods and low food prices have driven a dairy farm in Britain's north-east to stop milking its cows and instead charge visitors to cuddle them. Dumble Farm started as a dairy farm in the 1970s, but in recent years flooding washed out crops and killed off the type of grass the cows like to eat, while milk prices below cost of production proved an insurmountable challenge. 'The amount of flooding and the pressures on our land were just making it unsustainable for us to carry on,' said Ms Fiona Wilson, co-owner of the farm. Agriculture is one of the sectors worst-affected by climate change, with farmers in Europe and elsewhere suffering under increasing heat, drought and flooding. In 2022, Dumble Farm sold all but a few of its dairy cows and, in a scramble to reinvent itself, began offering 'cow cuddling' experiences to fund a wildlife conservation scheme. It took Dumble Farm over a year to train the cows to feel comfortable with cuddling, but now the animals have fully adjusted. PHOTO: AFP For £95 (S$163), visitors can cuddle, brush and stroke the cows as they lie down on a straw-covered enclosure inside a barn. The experience includes a safari to see Highland cattle. 'It's been so worth it, just to get so close to the cows, and they are so loving and gentle,' guest Emma Hutton, 25, said after she spent some time cuddling one of the cows. It took over a year to train the cows to feel comfortable with cuddling, but now the animals have fully adjusted, farmer James McCune said. 'They like being pampered. They are like big dogs... It's more of a spa day for the cows,' Mr McCune said. The farm uses the proceeds to create habitats to protect wildlife and support declining species, such as lapwing birds. 'It's great that we can fund the conservation scheme by having visitors to the farm, and that's really the bigger picture,' Ms Wilson said. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
a day ago
- Straits Times
Producer Tyler Perry accused of sexual harassment and assault in lawsuit
FILE PHOTO: Tyler Perry poses during the Met Gala, an annual fundraising gala held for the benefit of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute with this year's theme 'Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,' in New York City, New York, U.S., May 5, 2025. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni/File Photo An actor on the U.S. BET television show "The Oval" has filed a civil lawsuit that accuses media mogul Tyler Perry of repeated sexual assault and harassment. Derek Dixon is seeking $260 million in punitive damages from Perry in a lawsuit filed Friday in Los Angeles Superior Court and reported by TMZ on Tuesday. In the suit, Dixon accuses Perry of "a sustained pattern of workplace sexual harassment, assault and retaliation." An attorney for Perry called the lawsuit "a scam." "This is an individual who got close to Tyler Perry for what now appears to be nothing more than a scam," attorney Matthew Boyd said in a statement. "But Tyler Perry will not be shaken down and we are confident these fabricated claims of harassment will fail." Perry is a successful actor, writer and producer of dozens of TV shows and films, including the "Madea" movie series. Forbes estimates his net worth at $1.4 billion. The lawsuit claims Perry met Dixon when he was working on the event staff at a party Perry was hosting, and that Perry offered him a role on the series "Ruthless" in 2019 and a bigger part later on "The Oval." Dixon alleges that Perry sent unwanted, sexually suggestive text messages to him. The suit includes screenshots of what it said were exchanges between the two. "What's it going to take for you to have guiltless sex?" said one of the messages that Dixon said was from Perry. After the messages, Perry's behavior escalated to sexual assault, the lawsuit said. One night at Perry's home, the lawsuit said, Perry told Dixon he was too drunk to drive and urged him to stay in a guest room. Dixon said he woke up in the middle of the night to find Perry in bed with him and rubbing his thigh. In another case, Perry "forcibly pulled off Mr. Dixon's clothing, groped his buttocks, and attempted to force himself on Dixon," the lawsuit said. Dixon tried to remain friendly with Perry while rebuffing his advances in order to keep his job, the lawsuit said. Perry made it clear to Dixon that his TV character could be killed off if he ignored Perry or did not take part in his "sexual innuendos," the lawsuit said. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
