Nationwide — Derek Dixon, the actor who filed a $260 million sexual harassment lawsuit towards Tyler Perry, is talking out for the primary time about his expertise and why he determined to take authorized motion.
“I couldn’t simply let him get away with this,” Dixon stated in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter. Dixon says submitting the lawsuit has been terrifying however hopes it should assist shield others within the business from related conditions.
“Everybody deserves to go to work and do their job with out their boss attempting to have intercourse with them,” Dixon says. “My purpose is to assist make sure that the subsequent era of actors and creatives don’t have to decide on between their goals and their dignity.”
Dixon appeared in Perry’s exhibits Ruthless and The Oval as Dale. He claims that Perry first supplied him profession alternatives however later created a “coercive, sexually exploitative dynamic” when Dixon didn’t return Perry’s alleged advances.
The grievance, filed on June 13 in Los Angeles Superior Court docket, accuses Perry of sexual harassment, assault, battery, and retaliation. Dixon describes a number of incidents within the lawsuit, together with being groped and cornered by Perry, each in a trailer and at Perry’s residence.
He’s looking for a jury trial and $260 million in damages, citing emotional misery {and professional} hurt. Dixon stated he tried to remain quiet for a very long time, however later selected to talk up.
“For a very long time, I satisfied myself that it was a part of the business, or that someway I needed to settle for it to maintain working,” he stated. “However finally, I couldn’t keep silent anymore.”
Since submitting the swimsuit final month, Dixon shared that he has confronted blended reactions, together with some dying threats. “Because of this individuals, particularly males, don’t come ahead,” he stated. “I used to be too afraid to come back ahead. I knew it will be terrible. And I used to be proper.”
Dixon additionally revealed he tried to settle the problem privately earlier than suing however didn’t imagine non-public talks would cease the habits. “On the finish of the day my absolute worry is that he’ll have the ability to proceed doing this with none main penalties,” he stated.
Tyler Perry’s lawyer, Matthew Boyd, known as the lawsuit a “rip-off” and stated they’re assured the claims will fail. He stated, “Tyler is not going to be shaken down.”
