Derek Dixon Was ‘Too Afraid’ Sharing Tyler Perry Allegations

Derek Dixon, who played Dale on the Tyler Perry series The Oval, gave his first interview since suing Perry in a $260 million sexual-assault and harassment lawsuit last month. He told The Hollywood Reporter how he first met Perry while working as an event coordinator for the opening party for Perry’s new studio. Perry allegedly singled out Dixon, and they eventually exchanged numbers, with Perry promising to make his dreams of becoming an actor come true. Dixon was then cast as Dale in The Oval spin-off series, Ruthless, before eventually making his way back as a series regular on The Oval.

Dixon detailed his first alleged sexual assault by Perry. After the two had drinks at Perry’s place, Perry told Dixon that it wasn’t safe for him to drive and offered him to stay in the guest house for the night. He then shared that “[Perry] climbed into bed with me and began rubbing my thigh. I immediately jumped out of the bed and said, ‘I’m not that sexual’ and stood up until he left the room. I thought that my reaction made it clear that night that I was not interested.” Since then, Perry reportedly sent Dixon countless messages and then developed Dixon’s comedy pilot as collateral.

When discussing why Dixon didn’t come forward sooner, he shared that he “was too afraid to come forward.” He feared losing his job and acting career as well as the support of his fellow co-stars: “I knew it would be awful. And I was right.”