Derek Dixon, greatest identified for his function as Dale on Tyler Perry’s Ruthless and The Oval, is talking out publicly for the primary time since submitting a $260 million lawsuit against the media mogul — a transfer he says has been “terrifying,” however mandatory.
In an e mail interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Dixon mentioned he felt compelled to behave. “I couldn’t simply let him get away with this,” he mentioned.
“Everybody deserves to go to work and do their job with out their boss making an attempt to have intercourse with them,” he continued. “My aim is to assist be certain that the following era of actors and creatives don’t have to decide on between their desires and their dignity.”
Dixon filed the lawsuit on June 13 in Los Angeles Superior Court docket, alleging Perry created “a coercive, sexually exploitative dynamic” throughout his time working for him. Based on the criticism, Perry initially promised Dixon artistic alternatives — akin to producing his pilot and casting him in his reveals — however allegedly subjected him to escalating harassment, assault, and retaliation after Dixon rejected these advances.
The submitting consists of disturbing allegations, together with that Perry “pinned Dixon against the wall of Perry’s trailer and aggressively groped Dixon’s buttocks in a sexual movement,” together with a number of alleged assaults at Perry’s dwelling.
Dixon is suing for sexual harassment (quid professional quo), sexual battery, sexual assault, retaliation, intentional infliction of emotional misery, and extra. He’s requesting a jury trial and $260 million in damages.
Perry’s authorized crew has denied the allegations. Legal professional Matthew Boyd launched an announcement to People, reiterating the preliminary response: “That is a person who acquired near Tyler Perry for what now seems to be nothing greater than organising a rip-off. However Tyler won’t be shaken down and we’re assured these fabricated claims of harassment will fail.”
Dixon, in the meantime, says the fallout has already been extreme. “That is why individuals, particularly males, don’t come ahead,” he informed THR. “I used to be too afraid to return ahead. I knew it will be terrible. And I used to be proper.”
He claims he did try to resolve the state of affairs privately earlier than submitting, however mentioned, “There are at all times makes an attempt to resolve conditions like this privately, however they by no means lead to the kind of change mandatory to guard additional victims. On the finish of the day, my absolute worry is that he’ll be capable of proceed doing this with none main penalties.”
Dixon admitted he tried to persuade himself that this type of habits was “a part of the trade,” however finally, “I couldn’t stay silent anymore.”
When you or somebody you recognize has been sexually assaulted, please contact the Nationwide Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or go to RAINN.org.
