It reads like a bad script, but it may be even worse than that. Derek Dixon, an actor who appeared in 85 episodes of Tyler Perry’s BET series The Oval and its spinoff Ruthless, filed a $260 million lawsuit against Perry on June 13, 2025, in Los Angeles Superior Court.

The lawsuit alleges sexual harassment, sexual assault, battery, retaliation, and intentional infliction of emotional distress, claiming Perry used his industry influence to create a “coercive, sexually exploitative dynamic.”

Tyler Perry Sued by ‘The Oval’ Actor for Alleged Sexual Assault

Dixon alleges he met Perry in September 2019 at an event for Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta, where Perry offered him a role on Ruthless and later a recurring role as Dale on The Oval. The lawsuit details multiple incidents of alleged misconduct, including:

  • January 2020: At Perry’s Atlanta home, after drinking, Perry allegedly entered Dixon’s guest room and groped him, initiating non-consensual contact.
  • October 2020: During a cast trip to the Bahamas, Perry allegedly groped Dixon’s buttocks.
  • 2020 (on set): In Perry’s trailer, after filming a scene where Dixon’s character was shot, Perry allegedly pinned him against a wall and groped him.
  • June 2021: At Perry’s home, while discussing Dixon’s script Losing It, Perry allegedly pulled down Dixon’s underwear and groped him aggressively. Dixon claims he feared rape and locked himself in a bathroom.

“Mr. Perry took his success and power and used his considerable influence in the entertainment industry to create a coercive, sexually exploitative dynamic with Mr. Dixon — initially promising him career advancement and creative opportunities, such as producing his pilot and casting him in his show, only to subject him to escalating sexual harassment, assault and battery, and professional retaliation,” says the lawsuit, which was first reported on by TMZ.

The lawsuit states Perry sent sexually explicit texts, such as asking about “guiltless sex” or commenting on Dixon’s sexual preferences, and threatened to kill off Dixon’s character if he didn’t comply with sexual advances. Dixon alleges Perry promised to produce Losing It but used it as leverage to silence him, later buying the rights without intent to produce.

Dixon claims severe emotional and physical distress, including PTSD, depression, and low cortisol levels, leading to a Zoloft prescription in December 2020.

He filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in June 2024 and quit The Oval during its final season, citing a $400,000 loss in wages.

Perry’s attorney, Matthew Boyd, denies the allegations, calling the lawsuit a “scam” and asserting Dixon got close to Perry to exploit him.

Boyd claims Perry “will not be shaken down” and is confident the claims will fail. The lawsuit also names Perry’s production companies, TPS Production Services and And Action LLC, and 50 unnamed defendants, invoking California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act and Sexual Abuse and Cover Up Accountability Act. Dixon seeks a jury trial and $260 million in damages.