Duchess Meghan: Harassment allegations against friend Tyler Perry

He is considered a close confidant of Duchess Meghan (43), who even made his villa available to her and her husband Prince Harry (40) after they left the British royal family. But now actor, director, and producer Tyler Perry (55) is facing serious allegations. A colleague accuses him of sexual assault and is demanding $260 million in damages.

Lawyer rejects allegations

In a lawsuit filed in Los Angeles on Friday, June 13, and obtained by US magazine "People," actor Derek Dixon claims that Perry created a "coercive, sexually exploitative dynamic" between them on the set of the series "The Oval" and "Ruthless." Perry initially promised him career and creative opportunities, such as the production of his pilot, but then subjected him to increasing sexual harassment, assault, and professional retaliation, allegedly because he failed to reciprocate Perry's advances.

Matthew Boyd, a lawyer for Tyler Perry, said in a statement: "This is an individual who has become close to Tyler Perry and who now appears to have done nothing more than orchestrate a fraud. However, Tyler is not going anywhere, and we are confident that these trumped-up harassment allegations will be ineffective," the statement continued.

The plaintiff claims he met the producer at the Tyler Perry Studios opening party in Atlanta, Georgia, in September 2019. Afterward, Perry allegedly texted him frequently, sometimes with suggestive advances. In November 2019, he then offered him a small role in "Ruthless." In January 2020, the sexual assault allegedly occurred at Perry's home. Perry continued to harass him afterward. The actor stated that he visited a doctor in December 2020, "who determined that Dixon was experiencing severe symptoms of acute stress, insomnia, stomach problems, and dangerously low cortisol levels as a result of the sexual harassment and assault." He was therefore prescribed an antidepressant.

He is godfather of Princess Lilibet

Tyler Perry helped the Duke and Duchess of Sussex gain a foothold in the United States. He temporarily let the royal dropouts live at one of his properties. He and Meghan reportedly shared a publicist, which connected them. A deep friendship developed afterward, so much so that he even became godfather to Princess Lilibet (4). Perry also appeared in the Netflix documentary "Harry & Meghan" (2022).

Meghan was at his side when he received an award at the Paley Honors Fall Gala on December 4, 2024. When Perry speaks about the Sussexes in the media, he always speaks positively: In an interview with "E! News," for example, he dismissed any rumors about the couple's marital crisis: "They love each other. They have a wonderful family, and I just want the best for them."

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