The entertainment world is reeling as a shocking legal battle unfolds in Atlanta! Actor Derek Dixon, best known for his role as Dale in Tyler Perry’s hit BET series The Oval, has filed a jaw-dropping $260 million lawsuit against the media mogul himself.
According to explosive court documents obtained by TMZ, Derek alleges that Perry not only sexually harassed him but also assaulted him on multiple occasions. Their first encounter reportedly happened in 2019 when they met at an event. Tyler allegedly took Derek’s number, offered him a minor role in Ruthless, and later invited him to his Atlanta home.
Derek claims he drank too much during the visit and passed out in a guest room—only to wake up to Perry allegedly in bed beside him, touching his thighs. He says he declined the advance, but it didn’t end there. After scoring a larger role in The Oval, Derek alleges Perry started sending inappropriate messages, including one that said: “No straight man would be going on walks with you or cooking dinner for you unless they wanted to f** you. I would f*** you.”*
In another disturbing claim, Derek says that in 2021, Perry entered his guest room, hugged him, pulled down his underwear, and groped him—reportedly whispering, “Relax and just let it happen.”
Fearing career sabotage, Derek says he stayed silent until June 2024, when he filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). He has since exited The Oval, saying he couldn’t continue working under such conditions.
Meanwhile, Perry’s attorney, Matthew Boyd, has fired back, calling the lawsuit a “scam” and insisting that the accusations are completely fabricated.
While Tyler Perry has yet to break his silence, the world is watching closely as this high-stakes case threatens to shake Hollywood to its core.
