Overview

• Derek Dixon filed a lawsuit on June 13 in Los Angeles Superior Court seeking $260 million in damages for quid pro quo harassment, sexual assault, battery and retaliation.
• Dixon met Perry at a Tyler Perry Studios event in 2019 and was cast in Ruthless and later as Dale on The Oval, roles he says were framed as career opportunities tied to Perry’s advances.
• The complaint details unwanted advances from January 2020 onward, including explicit texts, groping at Perry’s Atlanta home and threats to kill off Dixon’s character if he refused.
• Dixon filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in June 2024 and alleges his contract on The Oval was terminated in retaliation.
• Perry’s attorney has called the allegations fabricated and labeled the lawsuit a “scam,” pledging to defend against the claims.