Tyler Perry’s old friend, Walter Hampton, asserts that the playwright was openly gay before he achieved fame. Last week, Tyler’s personal life became public knowledge when a former employee filed a lawsuit against him for sexual harassment.
Aspiring actor Derek Dixon, who portrayed the pharmacist Dale in “The Oval,” sued Tyler for $260 million, alleging inappropriate behavior in the workplace.
In previous interviews, Tyler expressed frustration with the constant questions about his sexuality. He emphasized the importance of privacy and stated, “I believe people have the right to privacy, and that includes me.”
However, Walter maintains that Tyler was openly gay in Atlanta before his rise to fame.
Walter stated, “He was living openly before the fame. But once he became famous, he became afraid of what his audience would think.”
In a Facebook post, Walter expressed his belief that no one should be surprised by the allegations against Tyler Perry. He highlighted that such behavior has been ongoing for decades and that it’s only now that someone has spoken out. Walter concluded by saying, “The rest live in fear.”
Tyler started his career performing as a spirited older female character named Mabel “Madea” Simmons in Atlanta theaters. By 1998, word of mouth had made his stage plays incredibly popular in town, and videos of his performances were selling like hotcakes.
His early fanbase consisted of conservative black church women. His popular plays toured the “Chitlin’ Circuit” in the southern United States.
In 2005, Forbes magazine reported that Tyler had sold over $100 million in tickets, $30 million in videos, and $20 million in merchandise. On average, 35,000 people attended his productions every week.
Tyler, known for his ghey lifestyle, kept it hidden from his conservative, black female fans.
In the 1990s and 2000s, Tyler was sometimes seen in the company of younger black males who could be described as sex workers.
Despite the allegations made by his former employee, Tyler has not publicly responded. After the lawsuit made headlines last week, he attended his friend Beyoncé’s concerts in Paris, France.
Tyler Perry attends Beyoncé’s Paris concert, ignoring $260M sexual assault lawsuit by actor Derek Dixon. pic.twitter.com/1kDXFacJSI
— kolaqhazim (@Kolaqhazim) June 20, 2025
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