Actor Derek Dixon gave his first interview since he filed his $260M lawsuit against entertainment mogul Tyler Perry in Los Angeles Superior Court on June 13.
Dixon spoke with entertainment news outlet The Hollywood Reporter on his decision to speak out.
“Everyone deserves to go to work and do their job without their boss trying to have sex with them,” Dixon said in an interview conducted via email.
Dixon said he first met Perry in Atlanta in September of 2019 when he was working as an event coordinator for a company, Legendary Events. During the meeting he was invited to audition for Perry. Dixon appeared in 85 episodes of Perry’s BET series “The Oval” that aired between 2021 and 2025. He alleges in the lawsuit that Perry made several unwanted sexual advances toward him, including one in which the producer pinned him against a wall and groped him and another in which Perry snuck into his bed.
“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.”
Perry’s attorney, Matthew Boyd, released a statement, denying the allegations against his client. “This is an individual who got close to Tyler Perry for what now appears to be nothing more than setting up a scam,” Boyd said. “But Tyler will not be shaken down and we are confident these fabricated claims of harassment will fail.”
I’m not here to dismiss anyone’s pain, but I do believe in fairness—and what’s unfolding against Tyler Perry raises real questions. Derek Dixon remained on The Oval for years, accepting roles, paychecks, and praise. If the environment was so harmful, why continue—season after season—without taking a stand then? And let’s not ignore the messages that suggest a different kind of intent—ones that seem more about personal gain than personal harm.
It’s becoming too common for people to yell “harassment” only after long periods of involvement, participation, and even affection—then flip the script once they see a chance to cash in. That’s not justice. That’s opportunism. And it’s sickening to watch individuals try to tear down those who have built something real, especially when the facts don’t match the accusation.
Tyler Perry has been a pillar for many—creating jobs, stories, and spaces for those who’ve long been silenced. It’s disheartening to see people try to weaponize the system just because things didn’t go their way.
Let’s be smart. Let’s look at all the evidence. And let’s not stay quiet when integrity is being attacked.