Nationwide — Derek Dixon, the actor who filed a $260 million sexual harassment lawsuit in opposition to 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 mentioned in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter. Dixon says submitting the lawsuit has been terrifying however hopes it’s going to assist shield others within the trade from comparable 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 following era of actors and creatives don’t have to decide on between their desires and their dignity.”
Dixon appeared in Perry’s reveals 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 house.
He’s in search of a jury trial and $260 million in damages, citing emotional misery {and professional} hurt. Dixon mentioned 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 trade, or that one way or the other I needed to settle for it to maintain working,” he mentioned. “However ultimately, I couldn’t keep silent anymore.”
Since submitting the swimsuit final month, Dixon shared that he has confronted combined reactions, together with some demise threats. “This is the reason individuals, particularly males, don’t come ahead,” he mentioned. “I used to be too afraid to return 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 conduct. “On the finish of the day my absolute concern is that he’ll have the ability to proceed doing this with none main penalties,” he mentioned.
Tyler Perry’s lawyer, Matthew Boyd, referred to as the lawsuit a “rip-off” and mentioned they’re assured the claims will fail. He mentioned, “Tyler won’t be shaken down.”