The sexual harassment and assault allegations against Tyler Perry are reaching new intensity. Actor Derek Dixon, who starred as Dale in all five seasons of BET’s The Oval, has now broken his silence with his first televised interview since filing a $260 million lawsuit against the “Madea” creator.
Dixon, an out gay actor, told ABC News Live that his relationship with Perry began in 2019, when the two first met at the opening of Tyler Perry Studios. Dixon recalled, “He said to me, you know, ‘Are you an actor?’ And I said, ‘’Well, not right now. I was — or I’m working on it — but not right now.’ And he said, ‘Yeah, you are. We need to talk. You should get my number.’”
From there, Dixon alleged that friendly exchanges escalated into unwanted text messages, physical contact, and a night in Perry’s guesthouse, where he claims Perry climbed into his bed and touched him inappropriately. He also described a 2021 incident where Perry allegedly pulled down his underwear and grabbed him against his will. When Dixon said, “I don’t want this.” Tyler insisted, saying, “Unless someone’s been through something where they have their control over their bodies taken away, you don’t really understand.”
Perry’s legal team has denied the claims, framing the lawsuit as an attempted shakedown. In a statement to ABC News, Perry’s lawyer wrote, “This is an individual who got close to Tyler Perry for what now appears to be nothing more than setting up a scam. But Tyler will not be shaken down and we are confident these fabricated claims of harassment will fail.”
Tyler Perry has not publicly stated that he is gay and has previously dismissed gay rumors as stemming from his portrayal of the character Madea. Perry has maintained his privacy regarding his sexuality, with some speculating his primary audience in the Black church community influences this choice. He has supported LGBTQ+ representation in media, but has not addressed the rumors directly.
For Dixon, the $260 million lawsuit is not just about damages. It is about “how do you stop a billionaire who won’t stop themselves from doing this?”
Perry himself has yet to personally comment on the circumstances of the lawsuit.
