Tyler Perry and his legal team are fighting back against sexual assault allegations made by Derek Dixon, a white actor who has appeared in Perry’s productions. According to court documents, the filmmaker “looks forward to refuting each and every false accusation” brought forth by Dixon.
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The 56-year-old was hit with the $260 million lawsuit by Dixon in June 2023, accusing Perry of sexual assault, harassment, and retaliation. The actor stated that the filmmaker created “a coercive, sexually exploitative dynamic” while filming critically acclaimed shows such as “The Oval” and “Ruthless.”
At first, Perry seemed unphased by Dixon’s claims. He responded to the lawsuit with a short video of himself singing “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands,” ending the clip by urging his followers to remain calm.
However, you all knew he wasn’t going to stay quiet for too long. On Oct. 1, Perry’s legal team reportedly filed paperwork with the U.S. District’s Courts Central Division of California, citing Dixon’s lawsuit is “profoundly disappointing, cynical, and—most of all—false.”
The filing claims that Dixon’s accusations stem from a personal vendetta after Perry declined to sell his television pilot to Netflix. It also further questions why Dixon’s case was filed in California, despite the production taking place in Georgia.
“By his actions and false accusations, it is clear that Dixon needs help. But he cannot find it in this Court,” the filing reads. “Although Dixon alleges that he was the victim of escalating sexual misconduct, he had no problem taking a role on Season 2 of Mr. Perry’s television series The Oval.”
Dixon’s attorney, Johnathan J. Delshad, refuted Perry and his legal team’s claims in a statement to PEOPLE magazine, citing suspicious text messages exchanged between the filmmaker and the actor.
“Perry’s filing provides no evidence to corroborate that the text messages in our complaint are fabricated,” the attorney said. “Our complaint includes text messages where Mr. Perry made explicit sexual remarks to Mr. Dixon, questioned him about his sex life, and dangled professional opportunities based on those interactions.”
Delshad also emphasized that he believes Dixon is not the only victim of Perry’s alleged misconduct and that more individuals could soon come forward.
“I am convinced that Mr. Dixon is not the only one and that soon others will be sharing stories about Mr. Perry,” the attorney added. “My client is not intimidated by wealth, influence or the celebrity status of Mr. Perry. Nobody is above the law. We are committed to holding Mr. Perry accountable to the full extent of the law.”
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