Tyler Perry Accuser Breaks Silence Following $260M Sexual Assault Lawsuit

Derek Dixon, who has accused Tyler Perry of sexual assault in a blockbuster $260M lawsuit, has broken his silence in an exclusive interview with The Hollywood Reporter.

The interview, published on Thursday, July 10, was conducted via email with the actor from The Oval, who claimed that he broke his silence because he couldn't let the movie mogul "get away with this."

“Everyone deserves to go to work and do their job without their boss trying to have sex with them,” he said to the outlet. “My goal is to help ensure that the next generation of actors and creatives don’t have to choose between their dreams and their dignity.”

Dixon also claimed he tried to reach a private settlement with Tyler Perry, but "they never result in the type of change necessary to protect further victims." He claimed that his goal was to "continue doing this without any major consequences," and that his goal was to hold Perry accountable for his actions, not to get money.

Last month, Dixon accused Perry of sending him “unsolicited photos” in 2021.

Said photos, according to court documents reviewed by Complex, featured various parts of Dixon's anatomy, with Perry allegedly making comments like "thick" and "Break out in a** and thighs."

Dixon also accused Perry of grabbing him by the throat during another encounter, and alleged that Perry said, “Look how excited you just got” about the action.

In a statement to TMZ, Perry's attorney, Matthew Boyd, denied Dixon's allegations and claimed that the actor was an "individual who got close to Tyler Perry for what now appears to be nothing more than setting up a scam."

Boyd continued: “Tyler will not be shaken down, and we are confident these fabricated claims of harassment will fail."