Tyler Perry (55) is one of the richest men in Hollywood thanks to, in fact, from 2010 to 2011, he was the highest-paid in the industry with 130 million dollars. He is a director, actor, composer, comedian, and writer, and in each of his roles, success is practically thunderous.
Tyler is a close friend of Oprah Winfrey, the first black female billionaire in history, and together they protected Prince Harry and Meghan Markle when they moved to California. The Sussexes had two serious problems as the government took away their security following the Megxit and they also had no place to stay.
Through Oprah, who was one of the guests at the Royals' wedding, they met Tyler, who from the get-go provided them with a personal army and a large mansion in Beverly Hills with 12 bathrooms and 8 bedrooms. The situation was dramatic as a state of alert had been declared due to COVID, and all borders were about to close. By a hair's breadth, the Sussexes were able to move from Canada to sunny California.
Currently, Tyler Perry is in the news for a completely different matter that, if true, could bring him many legal problems and even imprisonment. Actor Derek Dixon accuses Perry of sexual harassment and gender violence in the workplace, specifically while they were both on the shows The Oval and Ruthless. As reported by The Guardian, after a series of promises related to a promotion that apparently never materialized, the employee has revealed that Perry subjected him to increasing sexual harassment, assault, and injuries.
In the lawsuit, he alleges that he was subjected to harassment and abuse by Perry while Perry had direct control over his employment, compensation, and creative opportunities, and that he faced retaliation for not responding favorably to his advances.
In a press release from Matthew Boyd, Perry's billionaire businessman lawyer, it is described as "an individual who approached Tyler Perry for what now seems to be nothing more than a scam. But Tyler will not be pressured, and we are confident that these false allegations of harassment will fail."
The alleged victim met the millionaire because Dixon worked for an events company hired for the opening party of Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta. It was there that the producer asked him if he made a good living and if he wanted to be an actor because perhaps he could give him a job. For months, they exchanged messages, and apparently, some of them were suggestive insinuations.
Finally, Perry gave him a small role in Ruthless. According to Dixon, the producer sexually assaulted him at his home in January 2020, and the following month, he already had an offer on the table for a recurring role in The Oval. According to the lawsuit, "Mr. Perry made it clear to Dixon that if he ignored him or did not respond to the sexual advances, his character would 'die' in the next season." At the end of the first season, the character dies from four gunshot wounds. After filming, Tyler invited him to his trailer where he allegedly pinned him against the wall and began "aggressively groping Dixon's buttocks in a sexual manner," as described in the lawsuit. There are also other alleged episodes of sexual harassment on a trip to the Bahamas in October 2020, among others.
The lawsuit alleges something terrifying: "Perry has a concerning pattern of exploiting vulnerable male actors and employees" and that, like "Harvey Weinstein, Bill Cosby, R. Kelly, Sean 'P-Diddy' Combs... Mr. Perry's success has led him to believe that money and influence can get him whatever he wants."
Derek Dixon is seeking a jury trial and $260 million in damages. Pocket change considering Tyler Perry's fortune amounts to $1.4 billion.