Tyler Perry is at the center of a $260 million lawsuit after actor Derek Dixon accused the media mogul of sexual assault during a 2020 encounter at Perry’s Atlanta home.
In a preview from an upcoming interview with ABC News’ Linsey Davis, Dixon described the moment that changed everything.
“I got into bed and then I noticed that he climbed into bed with me as well and started rubbing my leg. I jumped up out of bed,” Dixon said.
The alleged incident, according to Dixon’s lawsuit filed in June, happened after Perry invited him over for drinks. Dixon said he drank too much and ended up sleeping in a guest room, where the alleged assault took place.
In another incident, Dixon says Perry groped him on the set, inside of a trailer.
“Unless someone has been through something where they have their control over their bodies taken away you don’t really understand the kind of feelings that you get in that moment,” Dixon told Davis in the interview, which airs Tuesday night (September 9) on ABC News Live PRIME.
EXCLUSIVE: He’s suing the billionaire media mogul Tyler Perry, alleging Perry sexually harassed and assaulted him while working on Perry’s show — claims Perry has denied. Now actor Derek Dixon is speaking out about his claims in an ABC News exclusive interview with @linseydavis,… pic.twitter.com/JWTm3epPDO
— ABC News Live (@ABCNewsLive) September 9, 2025
Dixon, who appeared on Perry’s BET series The Oval, is accusing Perry of sexual harassment, assault and battery, and abuse of power in the workplace. The lawsuit also names Tyler Perry Studios as a defendant.
Representatives for Perry have denied all allegations and called the lawsuit a “scam.”
The case brings intense scrutiny to one of Hollywood’s most financially successful creators. Perry, 54, has built an empire that includes 24 films, 20 stage plays and 17 television series.
According to Forbes, his net worth is estimated at $1 billion, with more than $1.4 billion in pretax earnings since 2005.
Perry’s body of work, including the popular Madea franchise, has consistently centered Black narratives and generated over $660 million globally.
He owns Tyler Perry Studios, a 330-acre production complex in Atlanta, one of the largest of its kind in the U.S.
Dixon, who portrayed Dale on Perry’s BET series The Oval and its spinoff Ruthless, alleges Perry used his position of power to coerce him into a sexual relationship, promising professional opportunities in return.
Dixon’s lawsuit also included shocking text messages allegedly sent by Perry asking him, “Are you a top or a bottom?” before stating, “I’m a top. When you have a big d##k and when you hit the G##### right on these bottoms, they go crazy.”
He is seeking damages for emotional distress and workplace misconduct.