Terry Crews has had plenty to celebrate thanks to his varied career, which has taken him
from playing with the NFL to working on Ice Cube's security team and, eventually, launching
a successful acting career that started with his big break in 2005's Everybody Hates Chris.
But for all of the highlights, Crews has also faced his share of challenges and controversies.
In 2017, the Brooklyn Nine-Nine star revealed that he was sexually assaulted by a Hollywood
executive and went on to recount the trauma in an effort to inspire others who may have
faced similar adversity.
"I was sexually assaulted by Adam Venit."
However, he was dealt a devastating blow when his criminal complaint against William Morris
Endeavor agent Adam Venit was rejected by both the Los Angeles City Attorney and the
Los Angeles County District Attorney.
"I will not be shamed. I did nothing wrong."
Crews continued to receive support from fans and peers, but some of those supporters turned
on him in June 2020 when he sparked outrage with a headline-making tweet in which he proclaimed
that:
"[D]efeating White supremacy without White people creates Black supremacy."
Crews later argued the tweet came from:
"[A] spirit of love and reconciliation, for the Black community first, then the world
as a whole."
Now, Terry Crews is once again in the spotlight and, once again, the reason is a challenging
one. The actor is speaking out about a personal struggle that almost led to the dissolution
of his marriage. As Terry and Rebecca King-Crews reveal in their new Audible audiobook, Stronger
Together, the actor's secret addiction nearly ruined their marriage. Opening up about his
years-long struggle with pornography, the America's Got Talent host told People that
the problem was exacerbated by his budding career. Crews admitted to the outlet,
"Success is the warmest place to hide. Fame made it worse! Hollywood didn't care. It still
doesn't care if you lose your family. It happens every day."
Explaining why they chose to go public with this very personal struggle, Rebecca shared
it's all about inspiring others. Rebecca told People,
"We discovered there was a whole industry around this problem because porn has become
the new drug. It's become the new addiction."
It was 2016 when Crews first admitted to having been addicted to porn. As he shared on Facebook,
via People,
"It was my secret, nobody knew, and that allowed it to grow, and it got bad."
He revealed how serious it got, saying,
"If day turns into night and you are still watching, you probably got a problem, and
that was me."
After realizing that he had a, quote, "major problem," Crews went to rehab and therapy
and turned the corner. Crews said to People in 2016,
"I did not get help so I could get my wife back, I got help because I needed it. She
did decide to stay with me because she knew I was repentant."
Terry and Rebecca King-Crews tied the knot back in 1990, and over the past three decades,
they've been an inspirational power couple. But their union hasn't been without drama.
In Stronger Together, Terry and Rebecca open up about the struggles that nearly drove them
to divorce, starting with Crews' 2010 admission of infidelity, as well as his addiction to
pornography.
When the actor came clean about being unfaithful, Rebecca told People that, quote, "it was like
death," while Terry confessed he, quote, "could not stop crying." Rebecca threatened to leave,
but the actor vowed to fix things. And, as he told Page Six, ignoring single friends
who encouraged him to leave Rebecca also helped. Crews told the outlet,
"There are certain people in my life who are always jealous of our relationship. They would
say, 'Oh now you're free, you can roll out,' and I'm like, 'Wait a minute — but you ain't
got nobody.'"
Meanwhile, Rebecca told Page Six that one of her most valuable "a-ha" moments came at
a car dealership. Admitting she was "ready to start over," the mom of five went to buy
a new car, and it was the salesman's personal confession that changed everything. Rebecca
recalled:
"[He] told me all about how he ended his first marriage of 20 years; how he regretted it;
how it affected his children."
She took it as a sign to give Crews another chance, and their marriage is now stronger
than ever.
If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit
the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline
at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).