Terry Crews Fears That His Sexual Assault Case Against Adam Venit May Bar Him From Working In Hollywood Again
In spite of the recent conviction of Bill Cosby for sexual assault and criminal charges against Harvey Weinstein for sexual misconduct, Terry Crews is preparing himself for the very real possibility that telling his truth may end his career. The #MeToo movement has given victims of sexual assault a voice, but the man who Crews says groped him at an industry party is powerful and well-connected. Once his civil suit goes to trial next year, everything could change for the worst–even if he wins.
The Brooklyn Nine-Nine and Deadpool 2 star told The Guardian that he had an obligation to hold super agent Adam Venit accountable for molesting him back in February 2016. At that time, Venit was the head of the motion pictures division at William Morris Endeavor (WME). While Crews didn’t know Venit prior to the bizarre encounter, the agent represents some of the biggest names in Hollywood. He is doing well so far in 2018, but Crews believes that his career will be negatively impacted in the near future.
“I have not gone broke,” Crews told The Guardian.
“New opportunities are coming simply because it’s a new day. It’s almost like the reconstruction when you have the Emancipation Proclamation and slavery is over. Now you have to deal with the new rules.”
Sadly, the culture in Tinseltown hasn’t quite caught up with the movement which seeks to obliterate the industry’s casting couch. Sexism, sexual harassment, and sexual assault have been a part of the fabric of the entertainment industry seemingly since its inception. While the general public may be shocked with the recent rash of complaints against Hollywood’s power players, insiders have called these instances the worst-kept secrets of the business.
Crews shared that he has received threats from entertainment executives because he outed Venit and filed criminal charges against him and WME. Expendables producer Avi Lerner called his manager and warned that dropping the case against WME would ensure that Crews could “avoid problems on the set of the next Expendables sequel.” The pending civil suit that Crews has filed may provide him with temporary protection from any tangible retaliation, but all of that can change in the blink of an eye.
“I’m getting support now, which is awesome, but what happens in two years?” Crews asked. “What happens in three years when no one remembers, when people have all moved on?”
In the end, Crews is at peace with his decision to stand up for himself and other victims. He believes that his place in the #MeToo movement is ordained by God and that he is walking in his purpose. Crews has forgiven Venit, but he will do whatever it takes to expose sexual predators in every profession.
