Actor Terry Crews described Hollywood as a “very violent place,” comparable to a “plantation” as people react to his own claims that he was sexually assaulted by a powerful talent agent.
Crews, 49, recently came forward with allegations that he was groped by Hollywood agent Adam Venit, and has since filed a police report and lawsuit against the WME rep on charges of sexual assault.
In an interview with BuzzFeed, the Brooklyn Nine-Nine star revealed how industry insiders had reacted to his claims and might even have endangered his career.
“I walk in the room, and the room is split right down the middle,” Crews said. “It just divides right there. It’s kind of like lightning.”
“I was on the set [of ‘Brooklyn Nine-Nine’], shaking,” he continued. “I didn’t call my publicist, I didn’t call my friends, I didn’t call my manager, I didn’t call my wife. I just started tweeting.”
Earlier this month, the LAPD declined to pursue charges against Venit over the incident on grounds that the “suspect did not make contact with the victim’s skin.” Venit was also reinstated at the WME, but reportedly demoted to a lesser role, after a month-long suspension.
“People don’t understand that Hollywood is a very violent place,” Crews said, insisting that he won’t be silenced. “The best way to put it is that it’s like a plantation. You use extreme violence. You see a lot of people who never work again. For even speaking up the whole thing is that they cut your head off so that the next person doesn’t speak.”
In the wake of the #MeToo sexual harassment scandal that has engulfed Hollywood in the wake of the Harvey Weinstein revelations, Crews is one of the few men claiming to be a victim of sexual misconduct.
“What I’ve been doing is just exposing. If this is the end of my career, just end it now,” he continued. “Cause I’m gonna keep living, I’m gonna keep doing my thing. But if I don’t do another Expendables, then let’s not do another one. I’m OK with that.”
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