The man accusing Tyler Perry of sexual assault and harassment sat down with ABC News to share his story.
Derek Dixon, who filed a lawsuit against Perry in June, spoke with Linsey Davis about what he claims was his first sexual encounter with the filmmaker back in 2020.
“I got into bed, and then I noticed that he climbed into bed with me as well and started rubbing my leg, and I jumped up out of bed,” Dixon recalled.
“Unless someone has experienced having control over their body taken away, you can’t really understand the kind of feelings that hit you in that moment,” he added.
In June, The Oval actor Derek Dixon alleged that Tyler Perry invited him to his Atlanta home in 2020. Dixon said he agreed, hoping to build a friendship that might open doors for more acting opportunities. According to court documents, Dixon claimed he became intoxicated and fell asleep in the guest room, only to wake up and find Perry in bed with him. When Perry allegedly began touching his thighs, Dixon said he resisted, but the documents claim Perry ignored his refusal.
After Dixon landed the role of Dale in The Oval, he alleged that Perry began sending him sexually suggestive texts, asking about his interest in men. Worried that shutting Perry down completely would damage his career, Dixon said he told him he wasn’t the “sexual type.”
Later that same year, Dixon alleged that Perry initiated another sexually charged exchange that escalated into Perry grabbing him by the throat and saying, “Look how excited you just got.”
Dixon is now suing Perry for quid pro quo, workplace sexual harassment, and sexual assault and battery, seeking $260 million in damages. Perry has denied the allegations, dismissing them as a “scam.”
In July, Dixon first spoke publicly about the lawsuit, telling The Hollywood Reporter, “Everyone deserves to go to work and do their job without their boss trying to have sex with them. My goal is to help ensure that the next generation of actors and creatives don’t have to choose between their dreams and their dignity.”
Dixon’s full interview with ABC News airs tonight on ABC News Live PRIME.
