Tyler Perry has been sued for sexual harassment and assault by Derek Dixon, an actor on The Oval and Ruthless who alleges the entertainment mogul coerced him into an exploitative relationship with promises of career advancement.
Dixon accuses Perry of engaging in a pattern of exploiting male actors in his productions, leveraging his power in Hollywood to make unwanted advances on employees in his orbit. For years, Perry has been “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 while pursuing their dreams,” according to the lawsuit filed on Friday in Los Angeles Superior Court.
In a statement, Matthew Boyd, a lawyer for Perry, called Dixon an “individual who got close to Tyler Perry for what now appears to be nothing more than setting up a scam.” He added, “Tyler will not be shaken down and we are confident these fabricated claims of harassment will fail.”
The lawsuit brings claims for sexual harassment, battery and assault, among several others over misconduct in the workplace. Dixon seeks at least $260 million.
More to come…