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Terry Crews

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Terry Crews
Crews in 2017
Born
Terry Alan Crews

(1968-07-30)July 30, 1968(age 55)
Flint, Michigan,U.S.
Occupations
  • Actor
  • television host
  • football player
Years active
  • 1991–1997 (football)
  • 1999–present (acting)
Spouse
Rebecca King
​
(m.1989)​
Children5
American football career
No. 51, 90, 94
Position:Defensive end/Linebacker
Personal information
Height:6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Weight:245 lb (111 kg)
Career information
High school:Flint Academy(Flint, Michigan)[1]
College:Western Michigan
NFL draft:1991/ Round: 11 / Pick: 281
Career history
* Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Career NFL statistics
Games played:32
Tackles:3
Assists:1
Player stats atPFR
Terry Crews's voice
Terry Crews speaks in support of theSexual Assault Survivors Bill of Rights
Recorded June 26, 2018

Terry Alan Crews[2](born July 30, 1968) is an American actor, television host, and formerfootballplayer. He playedJulius Rockin theUPN/CWsitcomEverybody Hates Chris,which aired from 2005 to 2009, and portrayedTerry Jeffordsin theFoxandNBCsitcomBrooklyn Nine-Nine(2013–2021). Crews starred in theBETreality seriesThe Family Crews(2010–2011), and hosted the U.S. version of the game showWho Wants to Be a Millionairefrom 2014 to 2015. He has appeared in films, includingFriday After Next(2002),White Chicks(2004),Idiocracy(2006),Blended(2014), theExpendablesseries(2010–2014), andRumble(2021). Crews began hostingAmerica's Got Talentin 2019, following his involvement in the same role for the program's spin-off seriesAmerica's Got Talent: The Champions.

Crews played as adefensive endandlinebackerin theNational Football League(NFL) for theLos Angeles Rams,San Diego Chargers,andWashington Redskins,as well as in theWorld League of American Football(WLAF) for theRhein Fireandcollege footballatWestern Michigan University.

A public advocate forwomen's rightsand activist againstsexism,Crews has shared stories of the abuse his family endured at the hands of his violent father, and was also included among the group of people named asTimePerson of the Yearin 2017 for going public with stories of sexual assault during theMeToo movement.[3]

Early life and education

Crews was born on July 30, 1968,[4]inFlint, Michigan,the son of Patricia Ann (née Simpson) and Terry Crews.[1][5]The middle child of three,[6]he grew up in a strict Christian household in Flint and was raised mainly by his mother, who was 18 when he was born.[5]His father was an alcoholic and abusive to his mother.[3][7]Crews received a flute from his great aunt, and took lessons for eight years.[8]He spent a summer atInterlochen Arts Academyand enteredWestern Michigan UniversityinKalamazooon an art scholarship. After his freshman year, he tried out for thefootball teamand earned a full athletic scholarship.[6]

Football career

Pre-draft measurables
Height Weight Arm length Hand span 40-yard dash 10-yard split 20-yard split 20-yard shuttle Vertical jump Broad jump Bench press
6 ft 2 in
(1.88 m) 		237 lb
(108 kg) 		32 in
(0.81 m) 		10+1⁄2in
(0.27 m)		 4.74 s 1.69 s 2.77 s 4.29 s 35.0 in
(0.89 m)		 9 ft 5 in
(2.87 m)		 22 reps
All values fromNFL Combine[9]

Crews was drafted by theLos Angeles Ramsin the 11th round of the1991 NFL Draft.[10]His career included stints with the Rams (six games), theGreen Bay Packers[11](no games), theSan Diego Chargers(10 games), theWashington Redskins(16 games), and thePhiladelphia Eagles(no games). He also played for theRhein Fireof theWorld League of American Football(laterNFL Europe) during its1995 season.[12]Repeatedly cut from rosters, Crews often supplemented his football income by receiving portrait commissions from teammates.[13]

Acting career

After retiring from the NFL in 1997, Crews moved to Los Angeles to pursue an acting career. He had a long-standing ambition to work in the film industry, but up until then had no plans to pursue acting, and simply wanting to be involved in some way. A year earlier, he co-wrote and co-produced the independent feature filmYoung Boys Incorporated.A self-funded production filmed inDetroitwith an anti-drug message, the film drew on his own observations, as well as those of his friends and family. Despite describing it as a "horrible" film, he credits the experience with getting him interested in the film industry.[14]

Crews in 2008

In 1999, Crews auditioned for a role as a character athlete (known as Warriors) in the syndicated game showBattle Dome,which became his first acting part. He played T-Money for two seasons until its cancellation in 2001. The audition process and the opportunity to perform in front of an audience made him realize that he wanted to pursue acting as a career. However, he failed to land another acting job for the following two years.[15]

Appearances in commercials for products such asOld Spice,films, and music videos soon followed.[14]His breakout role came inFriday After Nextstarring rapper-turned-actorIce Cube,for whom Crews previously worked as on-set security.[16][17]Having never taken acting classes, instead he asked himself what the audience wanted, and he believes this ultimately brought him success. He now believes acting is what he was born to do and would not wish to have any other career, despite the physically demanding nature of the work.[14]

Based on his performance inWhite Chicks(2004),Adam Sandlerchanged a role inThe Longest Yard(2005) to give it to Crews, who auditioned for another role in the film.[14]His role asJulius Rock,the father on theUPN/CWsitcomEverybody Hates Chris,brought Crews wider public recognition, and the series aired for four seasons from 2005 to 2009.[17]Since then, Crews has had main roles as husband and father Nick Kingston-Persons in theTBSsitcomAre We There Yet?,which aired for three seasons from 2010, and asNYPDSergeant (and commencing in Season 7, Lieutenant)Terry Jeffordsin theFox/NBC ensemble sitcomBrooklyn Nine-Nine,which premiered in 2013.[18]

Crews has predominantly portrayed comedic characters, sometimes playing off of his athletic physique.

Crews has appeared mainly in comedic roles, such as President Camacho inIdiocracy,but he later found success in action roles beginning with his part asHale CaesarinThe Expendablesseries,which saw him make his first appearance in a film sequel. Although he has managed to sustain an athletic physique in his career as an actor, Crews has avoided being type-cast as a muscle-bound action hero and has attained critical success through exploiting the contrast of his elaborate character comedy with his physique, which extends to the point of even mocking the stereotype of the gym-obsessed bodybuilder. This contrast has also led to sustained work as part of various humorousOld SpiceTV commercials.[16][19][20]

Crews at theSan Diego Comic-Con2013

He has lent his voice to animations such asAmerican Dad!andCloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2.He found that he enjoyed the work and sought out more of it, finding satisfaction in how it carries his spirit into the animation.[17]From 2010 to 2011, Crews starred in his own reality series onBET,The Family Crews.It ran for two seasons. From 2014 to 2015, he hosted the syndicated game showWho Wants to Be a Millionaire.He has also been the American host ofNetflix'sUltimate Beastmaster.

For eight seasons he played Terry Jeffords onBrooklyn Nine-Nine.In June 2020, Crews stated in an interview withAccess Dailythat four planned episodes for Season 8 had been aborted following theGeorge Floyd protests,as themurder of George Floydprompted the producers to reassess the direction of the season's storyline.[21][22]The series was not renewed for a ninth season. In early 2021, Crews commented: "I'm sad it will end, but happy to have had the chance to be a part of something so special".[23]

Crews cites the many similarities between acting and professional football, including the structure and expectations, as helping his transition between the two careers. He credits Reginald Hubbard with mentoring him in his early career in the film business.[14]

In June 2017, he was cast in thescience fictioncomedy filmSorry to Bother You.[24]The film was released in theaters on July 6, 2018.[25]Also in 2018, he appeared asBedlamin the superhero filmDeadpool 2.[26]Crews made appearances in the music videos for "Pressure" and "Algorithm" by British rock bandMuse.[27][28]

Crews also starred in the video forBrittany Howard's 2019 song "Stay High" in which he lip-syncs the vocals.[29]

Other ventures

Illustration and portraiture

Crews's first job in the arts was as acourtroom sketchartist inFlint, Michigan.He received an art scholarship from college before an athletic scholarship.[13]He later worked as courtroom sketch artist forWJRT.During his football career, Crews supplemented his income by creating portraits of fellow players. At times it was the primary income on which his family depended, typically bringing $5,000 for a two-month commission.[30]His work included a series of NFL-licensed lithographs.[14]He believes his imaginative side has transferred itself to his acting work.[14]

Design

Crews and fashion designer Nana Boateng founded a design company called Amen & Amen.[31][32]Their first collection was a set of furniture and light fixtures by the designer and artistIni Archibong.[33][34]In 2017 Crews designed a collection of furniture forBernhardt Designwhich was shown at theInternational Contemporary Furniture Fair(ICFF) in New York.[35][36]

Film production

In 2021, announced that Amen & Amen had entered the film production sector as a "virtual production studio" based in Pasadena, California.[37]

Writing

In 2021 Crews and his wife Rebecca King wrote a memoir titledTogether: How Fame, Failure and Faith Transformed Our Lives.[38]He has written several other books includingTough: My Journey to True Power.[39]He has also written and illustrated children's books including Terry's Crew, and with Ken Harvey,Come Find Me,a story about the adventures of two brothers, Anthony and Marcus, who are based on Crews' sons.[40]

Food manufacturing

Together with Unnar Helgi Danielsson,Dylan SprouseandHafþór Júlíus Björnsson,Crews is a co-founder and brand ambassador ofThor's Skyr,an American-made high-proteincultured dairy productbased on a traditional Icelandic recipe, which is high inprobioticsand low in sugar.[41][42]

Cryptocurrency

On March 10, 2021, Crews announced theEthereum-based cryptocurrency $POWER.[43]

Personal life

Crews with his wife Rebecca in 2019

Crews is a devout Christian.[44][45]He met Rebecca King when he was a college sophomore; she was the music minister at a local church.[6]They married on July 29, 1989.[46]They have four daughters and a son, Isaiah Crews, also an actor, and one grandchild.[6][47]

In 2014, Crews released his autobiography,Manhood: How to Be a Better Man or Just Live with One.[48]In the book, Crews detailed his long-standingpornography addiction,which had seriously affected his marriage and his life, but which he overcame around 2009 and 2010 after enteringrehabilitation.Since then he has taken an active role in speaking out about the condition and its impact, including posting on Facebook in his Dirty Little Secret Series.[49][50][51][52]

Crews is very keen onpersonal developmentand his favorite book isThe Master Key SystembyCharles F. Haanel:"I have read hundreds of personal development books, but this is the one that clearly showed me how to visualize, contemplate, and focus on what I truly wanted. It revealed to me that we only get what we desire most, and to apply myself with a laserlike focus upon a goal, task or project. That in order to 'have', you must 'do', and in order to 'do', you must 'be' - and this process is immediate. [...] I also reread it probably once a month to keep my vision clear".[53]

On an interview withRotten Tomatoesin 2020, Crews listed his five favorite films as:Do the Right Thing,Star Wars,Aliens,Training DayandPulp Fiction.[54]

Sexual assault of Crews

On October 10, 2017, in the wake of numerous Hollywood actresses going public withtheir stories of sexual harassment and assaultby film producerHarvey Weinstein,Crews revealed that a male Hollywood executive groped him at a party in 2016, but he did not report the incident for fear of retaliation.[55][56]It was later revealed that the "high-level executive" was Adam Venit, head of the motion picture department of the talent companyWilliam Morris Endeavor(WME).[57]

For his part in coming forward with the sexual assault allegations, Crews was named as one of the "Silence Breakers"from theTime Person of the Yearaward in 2017.[58]WME reportedly concluded from an investigation that the incident was isolated. Venit was demoted and returned to work after a one-month suspension. In response, Crews stated, "Someone got a pass".[59]Crews filed a lawsuit against Venit and WME for sexual assault.[60]Some witnesses stated that Venit had gotten intoxicated, dismissed the groping as "horseplay",and apologized to Crews the next day. WME responded to the lawsuit, arguing that their reaction to Crews' claims was" both swift and serious ".[61]In March 2018, prosecutors decided not to file any charges against Venit. The city attorney's office announced that thestatute of limitationsto prosecute Venit had expired, as the alleged incident was in February 2016 and Crews did not report it until November 2017.[62]

After Crews said that producerAvi Lernerattempted to silence him on the assault in order to retain his role inThe Expendablesfilm series,Crews vowed not to appear in any further installments of the franchise.[63]

Filmography

Main article:Terry Crews filmography

References

  1. ^ab"Terry Crews attributes his Hollywood star power comedy and dancing in 'White Chicks' and 'Everybody Hates Chris' to his Flint upbringing".MLive. April 25, 2013.RetrievedNovember 23,2015.
  2. ^Terry Crews Goes Undercover on Reddit, YouTube and Twitter.GQ(YouTube). January 9, 2019. Event occurs at 05:34. Archived fromthe originalon October 30, 2021.RetrievedFebruary 7,2020.I am not a 'Jr.' Terry Crews is my dad, but I have a middle name: I am Terry Alan Crews [highlights spelling "Alan" ]. So that technically does not make me a 'Jr.'
  3. ^abWong, Curtis M. (May 16, 2018)."Terry Crews: Me Too Movement 'Is The Emancipation Proclamation'".Huffington Post.RetrievedJune 3,2018.
  4. ^"Terry Crews".National Football League.RetrievedJanuary 31,2020.
  5. ^abStated onFinding Your Roots,February 8, 2022
  6. ^abcdSpencer, Amy (February 13, 2022). "NFL player-turned-actor Terry Crews on football, food, film and family ties".Parade.pp. 10–14.
  7. ^"No One Wants To Be With The Marlboro Man: Terry Crews On 'Manhood'".NPR.May 17, 2014.
  8. ^Messina, Victoria (June 18, 2019)."Terry Crews Crashing an AGT Audition to Play the Flute Shirtless Has Me Cackling".POPSUGAR Entertainment. Corden, James (September 23, 2016)."The Late Late show with James Corden: Terry Crews Hidden Talents".YouTube.Archived fromthe originalon October 30, 2021.
  9. ^"Terry Crews, Combine Results, DE - Western Michigan".nflcombineresults.RetrievedAugust 21,2021.
  10. ^"Terry Crews NFL Football Statistics".Pro-Football-Reference.USA Today.RetrievedDecember 21,2012.
  11. ^Maas, Tyler (January 29, 2020)."Terry Crews briefly played for the Packers".Milwaukee Record.RetrievedJuly 9,2021.
  12. ^Zimmerman, Paul (December 11, 1995)."Terry Crews".Sports Illustrated– via si.
  13. ^ab"Terry Crews Reveals Secret Art Practice".artnet News.September 4, 2014.RetrievedOctober 11,2016.
  14. ^abcdefgTucker, Mark Lubischer and Betty Jo."ReelTalk Movie Reviews".reeltalkreviews.RetrievedOctober 11,2016.
  15. ^Appearance on theLate Late Show with James Corden,September 23, 2016
  16. ^ab"Terry Crews makes it big".IFC.RetrievedOctober 11,2016.
  17. ^abc"Terry Crews Talks Meatballs and Superheroes".EBONY.RetrievedOctober 11,2016.
  18. ^Goldberg, Lesley (January 23, 2013)."Newsroom's' Terry Crews Joins Fox's Cop Comedy From 'Parks and Recreation' Duo".Hollywood Reporter.RetrievedMay 19,2018.
  19. ^"Watch Terry Crews And James Corden Hilariously Show People How To Work Out - CINEMABLEND".CINEMABLEND.September 20, 2015.RetrievedOctober 11,2016.
  20. ^"2012 Terry Crews Interview for Expendables 2 | LatinRapper".latinrapper.RetrievedOctober 11,2016.
  21. ^Tapp, Tom (June 23, 2020)."Terry Crews Says 'Brooklyn Nine-Nine' Had To Scrap Four New Episodes After George Floyd's Death".Deadline Hollywood.Archivedfrom the original on February 14, 2021.RetrievedFebruary 11,2021.
  22. ^"Terry Crews: 'Brooklyn Nine-Nine' scraps first four episodes amid protests over racial injustice".USA Today.RetrievedApril 6,2021.
  23. ^"Brooklyn Nine-Nine Cast Reacts to Final Season: 'What a Joy This Run Has Been'".February 11, 2021.RetrievedApril 6,2021.
  24. ^N'Duka, Amanda (June 27, 2017)."'Power' Star Omari Hardwick & Terry Crews Join Boots Riley's 'Sorry To Bother You'".Deadline Hollywood.RetrievedMay 19,2018.
  25. ^Blistein, Jon (May 17, 2018)."Watch Lakeith Stanfield Make Millions With 'White Voice' in Wild 'Sorry to Bother You' Trailer".Rolling Stone.RetrievedMay 19,2018.
  26. ^Polo, Susana (March 23, 2018)."Who is Bedlam, Terry Crews' Deadpool 2 character".Polygon.RetrievedMay 19,2018.
  27. ^Worthington, Clint (September 27, 2018)."Muse premiere new single" Pressure "and Terry Crews-starring video".Consequence.RetrievedMay 9,2021.
  28. ^Roberts, Christopher (November 9, 2018)."Muse Share Sci-Fi Video for" Algorithm "Starring Terry Crews".Under the Radar.RetrievedMay 9,2021.
  29. ^Blistein, Jon (July 16, 2019)."Watch Terry Crews Sing Brittany Howard's New Song 'Stay High' in Delightful Video".Rolling Stone.RetrievedAugust 28,2019.
  30. ^McCarty, India (September 12, 2022)."Terry Crews Shows Off His Insane Drawing Talent In Recent Video".Suggest.RetrievedSeptember 30,2022.
  31. ^"In The Secret Garden by Ini Archibong for Amen&Amen".Design Milk. July 1, 2016.
  32. ^"Amen and Amen".Amen and Amen.RetrievedSeptember 30,2022.
  33. ^"Turns out actor Terry Crews is a huuuuuge design buff. Who knew?".Los Angeles Times.September 17, 2016.
  34. ^"Terry Crews house: Where does Terry Crews live?".September 29, 2022.RetrievedSeptember 30,2022.
  35. ^McCarthy, Bonnie (May 27, 2017)."Actor Terry Crews introduces a contemporary furniture collection".Los Angeles Times.RetrievedSeptember 30,2022.
  36. ^"Peek into the home of Terry Crews, from Brooklyn Nine-Nine".Architectural Digest India.November 25, 2019.RetrievedSeptember 30,2022.
  37. ^Aghadjanian, Nina (July 6, 2021)."Terry Crews Launches Virtual Production Studio Amen & Amen".AList.RetrievedSeptember 30,2022.
  38. ^Crews, Terry; King, Rebecca.Stronger Together: How Fame, Failure and Faith.ISBN9781713661108.
  39. ^Crews, Terry (April 26, 2022).Tough: My Journey to True Power.Penguin.ISBN978-0-593-32981-8.
  40. ^Harvey, Ken; Crews, Terry (December 15, 2018).Come Find Me.Amen & Amen.ISBN978-1-7326906-0-8.
  41. ^forbes (September 7, 2021),Viking Invasion: Icelandic Strongman Hafþór Björnsson and Dylan Sprouse Backed Thor's Skyr Promises More Protein and Less Sugar,retrievedApril 11,2022
  42. ^Diep, Lilian (November 26, 2022)."Terry Crews Joins Thor's Skyr as Partner and Co-Founder; Dylan Sprouse Comments".Deli-market News.RetrievedMay 7,2023.
  43. ^Ropek, Lucas (March 11, 2021)."Terry Crews Has His Own Cryptocurrency Because Why Not?".Gizmodo.Archivedfrom the original on March 13, 2021.RetrievedJuly 11,2021.
  44. ^Patrick, Kris (April 2, 2013)."Terry & Rebecca Crews Talk Hardships and Faith in Hollywood".
  45. ^"Actor Terry Crews and his wife say experience will keep them safe from reality TV pitfalls".The Times-Picayune(NOLA ).February 20, 2010.RetrievedOctober 28,2015.
  46. ^Adebowale, Temi (April 17, 2019)."Terry and Rebecca Crews Are Marriage Goals—Here's What You Didn't Know About Them".Men's Health.
  47. ^"Terry Crews Answers the Web's Most Searched Questions".Wired.Event occurs at 3:58. Archived fromthe originalon October 30, 2021.RetrievedMay 15,2018– viaYouTube.
  48. ^"No One Wants To Be With The Marlboro Man: Terry Crews On 'Manhood'".NPR.org.May 17, 2014.
  49. ^"Dirty Little Secret Series".Facebook.
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  51. ^"Terry Crews Says Porn Addiction Nearly Ruined His Life".ABC News.
  52. ^Griggs, Brandon (February 24, 2016)."Terry Crews: Porn addiction 'messed up my life'".CNN.
  53. ^Timothy, Ferriss(2017).Tribe of Mentors: Short Life Advice from the Best in the World.New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. p. 19.ISBN978-1-328-99496-7.
  54. ^"Terry Crews' Five Favorite Films".RetrievedNovember 22,2023.
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  57. ^"Terry Crews Details Alleged Sexual Assault by WME's Adam Venit".November 15, 2017.RetrievedNovember 16,2017.
  58. ^Dockterman, Eliana."Terry Crews: 'Men Need to Hold Other Men Accountable'".TIME.RetrievedDecember 6,2017.
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External links

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