In a stunning and provocative new interview, actor Derek Dixon has emerged from the shadows with explosive accusations against media heavyweight Tyler Perry that he says he refrained from making for a period out of fear for his job, his life, and his voice.
The Actor who had a recurring part in Perry's BET drama The Oval has hit the prolific producer and filmmaker with an even more hefty lawsuit for $250 million. In his first public comments since filing the suit, Dixon said, "Everybody has the right to go to work and do their job without their boss trying to fuck them."
Check Out this Article: Travis Scott Fires Back at Pusha T on Fiery ‘JackBoys 2’ Track
Dixon describes a toxic work environment in which Perry used his influence and power over him, approaching him with explicit messages, dangling career promises if he performed sexual acts, and touching him against his will. Some of the most disturbing allegations include a night in 2021 when Dixon claims he locked himself inside a bathroom in Perry's home, worried he would be raped.
The allegations they describe are incredibly troubling, and they're also part of a picture that Dixon paints, one he said left him feeling trapped and all alone. "I didn't have the courage to speak out. I knew it would be awful. And I was right," he said bluntly of the emotional toll of staying silent. He said he had tried to rationalize what was happening to him as "just part of the industry," but finally realized he "couldn't hold the weight of the silence anymore."
It's the backlash and threats that have come in waves after filing the lawsuit that speak to why male victims in particular often don't speak out," Dixon says. "This is why people, specifically men, don't report.
Dixon also alleges that Perry took retaliation further by "failing" to "resolve" his character's arc on The Oval, a decision he insists was an attempt to pressure or punish him. The trauma of the encounter, he says, caused a host of mental and physical health challenges, including depression, anxiety, and even a diagnosis of PTSD.
Tyler Perry has denied the allegations, through his attorneys, as "made-up" and has referred to the suit as nothing but a "scam."
Asked whether he would be open to settling quietly, Dixon's response was straight to the point: he's not just looking for closure, he's demanding change. "Later attempts are always made to resolve matters like this gently and in private, yet that never brings about the kind of change needed to prevent future victims from being inflicted," he said. "My worst fear at the end of the day is that he's gonna keep doing this and nobody's really gonna get a huge consequence, and meanwhile there could be a few more JBs."
Dixon's is one of countless voices that have ascended during the period when silence is no longer safe. Whitaker's story is raw, painful, and, if true, a bracing reminder that power, no matter how successful or respected or beloved its wielder, ought to be held to account.
0 Comments