Tyler Perry accused of multiple sexual crimes by ‘The Oval’ actor Derek Dixon

Influential actor, director, and producer, Tyler Perry has been named in a new lawsuit by actor Derek Dixon, who accused his former boss of sexual harassment, sexual assault, and workplace gender violence.

The actor who appeared in two TV series created by Perry, The Oval and its spinoff Ruthless, has levelled allegations that the media powerhouse established a “coercive, sexually exploitative dynamic.”

While the news first broke on Tuesday, it has been discovered since then that the lawsuit filed in Los Angeles detailed Perry’s “direct control” over Dixon’s “employment, compensation, and creative opportunities.”

Furthermore, the filer listed crimes like “escalating sexual harassment, assault and battery” in his official complaint.

“Tyler Perry has been using his power and influence to molest, abuse, and sexually assault impressionable and vulnerable employees and actors who look to him for guidance and mentorship,” the lawsuit stated.

Whereas attorney for the star of the Madea franchise, Matthew Boyd refuted the claims in an official statement while calling Dixon’s authenticity into question.

“This is an individual who got close to Tyler Perry for what now appears to be nothing more than setting up a scam,” he said.

The lawyer also assured that their team remains “confident” in the eventual dismissal of “these fabricated claims”.

Tyler Perry and Derek Dixon first crossed paths back in 2019, during an opening party for the former’s studio, while the pair later worked together on Perry’s political dramas The Oval and Ruthless.