Terry Crews Breaks Down About His Sexual Abuse & Beating Up His Dad!

Terry Crews recounts growing up in Flint, Michigan with an alcoholic, violent father and a hyper-religious, controlling mother, and how that context shaped both his anger and his drive. He details a decades-long pornography addiction that culminated in cheating on his wife, and the 2010 'D-Day' confession that forced him to confront himself. Through therapy and a 12-step program he learned to redefine strength, embrace vulnerability, and rebuild his marriage to Rebecca. He also discusses being sexually assaulted by his agent at a Hollywood party and the lawsuit he pursued against William Morris Endeavor, drawing parallels to the Will Smith Oscars slap and his own past need for revenge.

• Terry says his desire to get physically strong came from knowing he might one day have to kill his abusive father.
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• He reveals a pornography addiction lasting from about age 10 until 2010, including watching from 10am to 11pm on days off.
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• On 'D-Day' in February 2010 he confessed to his wife that he had visited a massage parlor and cheated, nearly ending the marriage.
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• He describes physically beating up his father after big Terry hit his mother, and how empty and hollow the revenge felt.
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• He recounts being sexually assaulted by his own agent at a Hollywood party, who grabbed his genitals in front of both their wives.
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• He spent $500,000 of his own money suing William Morris Endeavor, leading to the agent's forced retirement.
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• After the massage parlor incident in 2000 he briefly considered suicide, thinking about making his death look accidental.
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• Terry calls Flint, Michigan the 'Palo Alto of the United States' in his youth because General Motors made it prosperous.
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• Through the show Finding Your Roots he learned his grandfather robbed a liquor store and served on a Georgia chain gang.
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• He credits the 12-step program and the Serenity Prayer for helping him recognize what he could and couldn't change.
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• He says 'success is the warmest place to hide because no one's going to call you on your stuff.'
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• He defines intimacy as someone knowing everything about you, good and bad, and loving you anyway.
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• His first Hollywood job was Battle Dome, a show he describes as 'American Gladiators on steroids.'
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• His agent was initially only suspended 30 days; Terry was told 'he's a partner' when he complained.
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• He keeps a framed photo of himself at age six on his desk to remind himself he was a good boy and shed his shame.
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• His mantra became 'don't try to be the best, be the only,' to stop competing with other people.
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• He argues you can have success or revenge but not both, and that transcending a moment is true success.
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