Who is Christian Keyes and what did he say? Actor trends online in wake of allegations against Tyler Perry in Derek Dixon's lawsuit
The Oval actor Derek Dixon has sued fellow actor and filmmaker Tyler Perry on allegations of sexual assault, battery, and workplace sexual harassment. Dixon reportedly claims that Perry used his power and influence to create a “coercive, sexually exploitative dynamic,” as per The Guardian. Additionally, Derek Dixon has sought $260 million in damages in the lawsuit first reported on June 17, 2025.
While the limelight is on Perry at this time, another name that has begun trending in the wake of the actor's lawsuit is that of Saints & Sinners actor and model Christian Keyes.
As per HotNewHipHop, in December 2023, Christian Keyes posted a video alleging sexual harassment by a "powerful man" in Hollywood, without disclosing the alleged abuser's name.
In the video, Keyes mentioned that his abuser had multiple Black people on a payroll, suggesting that it gave the man in question the power to indulge in inappropriate behavior.
"You get a grown-a** man that knows you're heterosexual and you're sleeping off Hennessey in his guest room, because he says it's safe...I'm 5 full Hennesseys down and not short Hennesseys either. And this dude tries to climb in the bed with you, so you spaz out, push him out," Christian Keyes said while describing the alleged sexual assault.
Netizens were quick to draw parallels between the similarity of Derek Dixon's allegations and those of Christian's, given that the storyline of their assaults sounded similar.
The same story Derek Dixon is sharing of his alleged sexual assault from Tyler Perry is the SAME story Christian Keyes shared about a “Black Hollywood giant” that he’s worked w/ for yrs before he was bullied into deleting his videos from IG.
Believe survivors the FIRST time.
"remember Christian Keyes made this video about Tyler Perry (allegedly) last year? I remember a blind item saying he was paid off, but more people will come forward about TP. I guess where there’s smoke, there is fire." an X user suggested
"Actor Derek A Dixon and Christian Keyes stories are extremely similar, and both men continued working with the abuser. Both victims never called the police nor filed a police 🚓 report." a netizen pointed out.
More details about Derek Dixon's allegations against Tyler Perry explored
According to Complex's report dated June 18, 2025, Derek Dixon mentioned meeting Tyler Perry in 2019 at an event wherein the filmmaker picked him out of a crowd and asked for his phone number.
In the lawsuit, Dixon claimed that Tyler enquired for his contact details on the pretext of having a role for him, which led to him being cast in Tyler's 2020 project, The Ruthless.
Dixon alleged that Tyler Perry invited him to his Atlanta residence in 2020, which he accepted with the intent to get more work. However, the actor got drunk and fell asleep in a guest room, claiming that Perry got into the bed with him and began touching his thighs.
Derek Dixon mentioned that he rejected Perry's advances, but the filmmaker continued showing interest in him. The lawsuit discloses that even after landing a role in The Oval, Perry sent him sexually suggestive messages, intending to know if the actor was interested in men.
Additionally, Dixon alleged that the filmmaker told him about his search for a real-life sexual partner who would be dependent and loyal, similar to Dixon's character Dale. In The Oval, Dale is a gay and homeless store clerk who seems desperate to sleep with other characters.
In another instance, Derek Dixon claimed that Tyler Perry initiated a sexual conversation with him that resulted in the filmmaker grabbing him by the throat and reportedly saying, “Look how excited you just got.”
As per PEOPLE's June 17, 2025, report, the lawsuit further stated that Tyler Perry threatened to cut off Dixon's character from the show if he did not give in to his sexual demands.
"Indeed, Dixon's character 'Dale' was shot four times in the chest at the end of his first season on 'The Oval,' and Perry always held this over Mr. Dixon's head, implying that 'Dale' would survive if Dixon kept Perry 'happy.'" Derek Dixon's lawsuit read.
On the other hand, Tyler Perry's attorney, Matthew Boyd, has dubbed Derek Dixon's allegations a "shakedown". Tyler's attorney claims that Dixon's allegations are fabricated and are nothing more than a scam.
