Tyler Perry is speaking out against allegations of sexual assault and harassment from a former male employee, issuing a sharp legal response accusing the man of spreading false claims and saying he “needs help.”
In an Oct. 1 filing with the U.S. District Court for the Central Division of California, Perry’s legal team called the $260 million lawsuit filed by Derek Dixon “profoundly disappointing, cynical, and—most of all—false,” People reported. Dixon’s claims of sexual harassment, assault, and retaliation allegedly twist “acts of platonic friendship and professional mentorship” into something “sinister,” Perry’s attorneys wrote, arguing that the suit relies on “Hollywood stereotypes and the bad acts of others.”
“Dixon invents alleged assaults and encounters that never happened,” Perry’s filing states.
“Mr. Perry never assaulted Dixon or committed any sexual battery. He did not offer Dixon pay raises and shoot Dixon’s television pilot script to threaten, coerce, or control Dixon,” the filing adds.
Perry’s filing comes in response to Dixon’s bombshell $260 million lawsuit against him and Tyler Perry Studios, which alleges Perry tried to sexually exploit their professional relationship while Dixon appeared on The Oval and Ruthless. Perry maintains that he is the real victim, accusing the former employee of attempting to leverage his generosity for a massive payday.
“And it is notable that in his effort to exploit his friendship and professional relationship with Mr. Perry to obtain a $260 million payday, Dixon was forced to lie not only about Mr. Perry, but himself too,” Perry’s filing states.
It goes on to call out “Dixon’s greed and avarice” as the issue and “not Mr. Perry’s alleged and nonexistent harassment or abuse.”
The Why Did I Get Married star and filmmaker reportedly “looks forward to refuting each and every false accusation in court.”
“By his actions and false accusations, it is clear that Dixon needs help. But he cannot find it in this Court,” the filing claims. “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.”
Perry’s team points out several issues with Dixon’s lawsuit, including that it was filed in the wrong state — Georgia, where the productions were filmed, would have been the proper venue. Perry also argues that Dixon’s claims aren’t truly about his actions, but rather stem from Perry’s inability to sell Dixon’s TV pilot to Netflix. They also question why Dixon continued working with him if the alleged assault and harassment had actually occurred.
However, Dixon is standing by his claims. His legal team responded to Perry’s filing, pointing to alleged text messages in which Perry supposedly made sexually suggestive remarks to Dixon on multiple occasions.
“Perry’s filing provides no evidence to corroborate that the text messages in our complaint are fabricated,” Dixon’s attorney, Jonathan J. Delshad, said in a statement. “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.”
“No employer has the right to manipulate or threaten an employee’s livelihood based on sexual expectations,” Delshad said. “We are certain that we will be able to prove to a jury that sexual harassment, assault, and battery absolutely happened.”
“I am convinced that Mr. Dixon is not the only one and that soon others will be sharing stories about Mr. Perry,” Delshad continued. “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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