Terry Crews

Terry Alan Crews, born July 30, 1968, in Flint, Michigan, is an American actor, television host, and former professional football player. He is widely recognized for his television roles as Julius Rock in the sitcom Everybody Hates Chris and Terry Jeffords in Brooklyn Nine-Nine, as well as for hosting broadcast programs including Who Wants to Be a Millionaire and America's Got Talent.

Raised mainly by his mother, Patricia Ann, in a strict Christian household alongside an abusive father, Crews was the middle child of three. He took flute lessons for eight years, attended Interlochen Arts Academy, and entered Western Michigan University on an art scholarship. After his freshman year, he tried out for the football team and earned a full athletic scholarship. Early in his career, he also worked as a courtroom sketch artist.

In 1991, Crews was selected by the Los Angeles Rams in the 11th round of the NFL draft. His professional football career included playing as a defensive end and linebacker for the Rams, San Diego Chargers, and Washington Redskins, as well as the Rhein Fire in the World League of American Football. He was also signed to the Green Bay Packers and Philadelphia Eagles rosters without playing in games. Throughout his athletic career, Crews supplemented his income by painting portrait commissions for teammates and producing NFL-licensed lithographs.

After retiring from football in 1997, Crews moved to Los Angeles to enter the film industry. Having previously co-written and co-produced the 1996 independent anti-drug feature Young Boys Incorporated, he landed his first acting role in 1999 playing T-Money on the syndicated game show Battle Dome. Following appearances in Old Spice television commercials and music videos, he achieved his breakout acting role in the 2002 film Friday After Next.

Crews achieved wider public recognition starring in Everybody Hates Chris from 2005 to 2009, later reprising the role in the animated revival Everybody Still Hates Chris. He went on to star in sitcoms such as Are We There Yet? and Brooklyn Nine-Nine. His feature film credits span comedy and action releases, including White Chicks, Idiocracy, Blended, and The Expendables series, alongside voice roles in animated projects such as American Dad! and Rumble. As a host, he has led series including America's Got Talent, Ultimate Beastmaster, and Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.

Beyond acting and broadcasting, Crews co-founded the design firm and virtual production studio Amen & Amen, co-founded the high-protein dairy brand Thor's Skyr, and launched the cryptocurrency $POWER. He has written multiple books, including his autobiography Manhood, the memoir Together co-authored with his wife, and children's books such as Terry's Crew.

Crews married Rebecca King in 1989; the couple has five children and one grandchild. A public advocate for women's rights and activist against sexism, Crews has spoken openly about his family's history of domestic abuse, personal recovery, and his experience as a victim of sexual assault in Hollywood. In 2017, he was among the group recognized as Time Person of the Year for coming forward during the MeToo movement.