Derek Dixon, an actor who appeared in 85 episodes of Tyler Perry’s hit BET drama The Oval, has filed a lawsuit accusing Perry of repeated sexual assault, harassment, and professional retaliation—allegations Perry’s legal team strongly denies.

The lawsuit, filed Friday in Los Angeles Superior Court and first reported by TMZ, seeks at least $260 million in damages. According to the complaint, Dixon claims Perry exploited his powerful position in the entertainment industry to create a coercive, sexually charged environment that escalated into multiple assaults.

“Mr. Perry took his success and power and used his considerable influence in the entertainment industry to create a coercive, sexually exploitative dynamic with Mr. Dixon — initially promising him career advancement and creative opportunities, such as producing his pilot and casting him in his show, only to subject him to escalating sexual harassment, assault and battery, and professional retaliation,” the lawsuit alleges.

Dixon says his working relationship with Perry began in 2019 after he was hired as part of the event staff at one of Perry’s parties. He claims Perry noticed him there and later offered him an audition, which led to a small role on Perry’s series, Ruthless, before landing a major part on The Oval, a political drama that has aired on BET since 2019.

The complaint includes screenshots of alleged sexually explicit text messages from Perry to Dixon. One reportedly reads, “What’s it going to take for you to have guiltless sex?”

Dixon alleges Perry’s sexual advances intensified as his role on The Oval expanded. He claims Perry made it clear that rejecting him could cost Dixon his job, stating that his character would “die” if he ignored Perry’s advances. The lawsuit details incidents in which Perry allegedly forcibly undressed Dixon, groped him, and attempted sexual acts against Dixon’s will, including an episode when Dixon says he had to de-escalate Perry’s assault and shift the conversation to avoid further aggression.

The actor says he feared professional retaliation if he spoke out and that he ultimately stayed quiet to protect his role. According to the lawsuit, Perry gave Dixon a raise and bought the rights to Dixon’s TV pilot, Losing It, allegedly as leverage to keep him silent, with no real intention of producing the show.

Dixon claims the harassment continued until he moved from Atlanta—home to Perry’s production studios—to Los Angeles to create distance. After filing a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in 2024 and seeing no change on set, he says he ultimately quit the show.

Perry’s attorney, Matthew Boyd, forcefully rejected the claims in a statement on Tuesday. “This is an individual who got close to Tyler Perry for what now appears to be nothing more than setting up a scam,” Boyd said. “But Tyler will not be shaken down, and we are confident these fabricated claims of harassment will fail.”

The Oval is one of several popular TV shows Perry writes, directs, and produces. Beyond his famous Madea franchise, Perry has built an influential media empire and has appeared as an actor in major films, including Gone Girl and Don’t Look Up.

The Associated Press does not typically identify alleged victims of sexual abuse without their consent, but Dixon has come forward publicly with his allegations.

This story is developing. Stay tuned for updates as more information becomes available.