Terry Crews is a multi-talented American artist, actor, comedian, social activist, and former professional football player.
He is best known for his roles in the sitcoms Everybody Hates Chris and Brooklyn Nine-Nine, the action series The Expendables, and the comedies White Chicks and Idiocracy.
He is also the host of popular game shows and reality shows such as Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, America’s Got Talent and The Family Crews. Crews is a public supporter of women’s rights and an activist against sexism and racism.
He has shared his personal stories of overcoming abuse, addiction, and toxic masculinity, and has inspired many with his courage, honesty, and humor.
File
- Full name: Terry Alan Crews
- Nickname: T-Money
- Date of birth: July 30, 1968
- Age: 56 years old
- male
- Place of birth: Flint, Michigan, USA
- Nationality: American
- Profession: Actor, comedian, activist, artist, former football player
- Height: 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
- Parents: Patricia Crews, Terry Crews Sr.
- Siblings: Two sisters
- Spouse: Rebecca King-Crews
- Children: Team Azriel, Team Tera, Team Wynfrey, Team Naomi Burton-Crews, Team Isaiah
- Relationship status: Married
- Net worth: 25 million USD
Early life and education
Terry Crews was born on July 30, 1968 in Flint, Michigan, to Patricia and Terry Crews Sr. He is the middle child in a family of three siblings and has two older sisters.
He grew up in a strict Catholic family, and his mother was the primary caregiver, as his father was an alcoholic and abused his family.
The crew had low self-esteem and insecurity as children and often felt helpless and afraid.
He found solace in art and music and learned to play the flute from his aunt. He also developed a passion for drawing and painting and won an art excellence scholarship to study at the Interlochen Center for the Arts in Michigan.
Crews attended Flint Academy, where he excelled in both academics and sports. He was a star student and football player and was elected class president his senior year. He also plays basketball and runs.
He graduated with honors in 1986 and received another scholarship to study at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo.
There, he majored in art and joined the football team as a fullback and fullback. He was an All-Conference player who helped the WMU Broncos win the Mid-American Conference championship in 1988. He graduated in 1991 with a Bachelor of Arts degree.
Personal life
Terry Crews met his wife, Rebecca King, when he was 19 years old. They dated for three years and married on July 29, 1989.
They have five children together: four girls and one boy. Their eldest daughter, Azriel, is a singer and musician. Their second daughter, Tera, is an entrepreneur and social media influencer.
Their third daughter, Wynfrey, is a producer and actress. Their fourth daughter, Naomi, is an actress and model. Their son, Isaiah, is an actor and rapper. The Crews family lives in Los Angeles, California.
Crews and his wife faced many trials and difficulties in their marriage, including infidelity, addiction, and financial difficulties.
Crews admitted that he had been unfaithful to his wife during the early years of their marriage and that he had an addiction to pornography, which affected his intimacy and trust with his wife.
He also revealed that he suffers from depression and anxiety and that he has anger issues stemming from childhood trauma.
He sought therapy and counseling and participated in a 12-step program to overcome his addiction and heal.
He also renewed his faith and commitment to his wife and family, and apologized for his mistakes. He and his wife have written books and interviews about their journey of reconciliation and forgiveness, and have become advocates for healthy and happy marriages.
Career
Terry Crews began his career as a professional football player in 1991 when the Los Angeles Rams drafted him in the 11th round of the NFL draft.
He played as a fullback and defensive back for various teams, including the San Diego Chargers, Rhein Fire (in the World League of American Football), Washington Redskins and Philadelphia Eagles.
He played for the Green Bay Packers but was cut before the regular season. He retired from football in 1997 after six years in the NFL.
Crews then moved to Los Angeles to pursue an acting career. He began by appearing in music videos and commercials and had his first film role in The 6th Day (2000), starring Arnold Schwarzenegger.
He gained further recognition after starring in the comedy Friday After Next (2002), playing Damon, an ex-convict.
He also appeared in other comedy films, such as Serve Sara (2002), Malibu’s Most Wanted (2003), Soul Plane (2004) and White Chicks (2004), in which he played Latrell Spencer, a football player. Memorable basketball. who falls in love with one of the main characters in disguise.
Crews also branched out into television and became a regular on the game show Battle Dome (1999-2001), where he played the character T-Money, an urban warrior.
He then starred in the sitcom Everybody Hates Chris (2005-2009), playing Julius Rock, the father of young Chris Rock.
He received critical acclaim and several award nominations for his performance. He also starred in another sitcom, Are We There Yet? (2010-2013), playing Nick Persons, a newlywed stepfather.
Crews continued to appear in various films and television shows, demonstrating his versatility and range as an actor.
He starred in the dark comedy Idiocracy (2006), playing President Dwayne Elizondo Mountain Dew Herbert Camacho, a former porn star and wrestler.
He also starred in the action film series The Expendables (2010-2014), playing Hale Caesar, a weapons expert and mercenary.
He also appeared in other films such as Norbit (2007), Get Smart (2008), Bridesmaids (2011), The Ridiculous 6 (2015), Deadpool 2 (2018) and Sorry to Bother You (2018).
Crews also became the host of famous game shows and reality shows such as Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (2014-2015), The Family Crews (2010-2011), The World’s Funniest Failures (2015) and Ultimate Beastmaster (2017- 2018).
He is currently the host of America’s Got Talent (2019-present) and its spin-off, America’s Got Talent: The Champions (2019-present).
He is also a co-star of the sitcom Brooklyn Nine-Nine (2013-present), playing Terry Jeffords, a sergeant and lieutenant of the 99th precinct.
He has received several award nominations and wins for his role, including the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series in 2020.
Crews is also an artist, musician, writer and philanthropist. He has exhibited his paintings and drawings in various galleries and events, and has played the flute and drums many times.
He has written two books: Manhood: How to Be a Better Man – or Just Live with One (2014), a memoir and self-help book about his personal and professional journey, and Tough: My Journey to True Power (2022) , a book about the journey of finding the true meaning of resilience and overcoming one’s insecurities and limiting beliefs.
He is also involved in various charities and causes, such as the Polaris Project, Safety Horizon, and the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN).
He is a vocal supporter of the Me Too movement and has shared his experience of being sexually assaulted by a Hollywood executive.
He has also spoken out against sexism, racism and violence, and advocated for equality, justice and peace.
Prize
Terry Crews has been nominated for several awards and has won several. Some of the awards he has won are:
- Annie Award for Outstanding Achievement in Voice-over in an Animated Film Production for Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 (2013), playing Earl Devereaux, a police officer and friend of the main character.
- Razzie Award for Worst Combination for The Ridiculous 6 (2015), sharing the award with the rest of the cast. This award is given to the worst film couple or group of the year and is considered a humorous recognition of bad films.
- Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series for Brooklyn Nine-Nine (2020), sharing the award with the rest of the cast. This award is given to the cast of the best comedy series of the year and is considered a prestigious honor in the television industry.
Net value
Terry Crews has an estimated net worth of $25 million. He has earned his wealth from his successful career as an actor, comedian, presenter and former football player.
Argumentative
Terry Crews has faced some controversy and criticism during his career and activism, especially from some members of the black community and the LGBTQ+ community. Some of the controversies he has been involved in are:
In 2017, he accused Adam Venit, a Hollywood agent and executive, of sexually assaulting him at a party in 2016.
He filed a lawsuit against Venit and his management company, William Morris Endeavor (WME), and reported the incident to the police.
He received support from many celebrities and activists but also faced backlash and ridicule from some who questioned his masculinity and credibility. He later settled the lawsuit with Venit and WME and dropped the criminal charges.
In 2019, he tweeted that children need both parents and that same-sex parents or single parents are not enough.
He faced criticism and backlash from many who accused him of being homophobic and insensitive.
He later apologized and clarified that he was not trying to invalidate or disrespect any family structure but only emphasized the importance of parental guidance and love.
In 2020, he tweeted that black people should not become “black supremacists” in response to the Black Lives Matter movement and that they should work with other races to achieve equality and justice.
He faced criticism and backlash from many who called him ignorant and tone-deaf. He later defended his tweet and said he was not trying to undermine or dismiss the movement but rather to warn against extremism and division.
Social Media
- Instagram handle: @terrycrews
- Twitter name: @terrycrews
Filming
- The Expendables
- Mix
- Next Friday Next
- Norbit
- White chicks
- The longest yard
- Single mothers club
