Terry Alan Crews (born July 30, 1968) is an American actor and former American football player. He is perhaps best known for playing Julius on the UPN/CW sitcom Everybody Hates Chris and for his appearances in Old Spice commercials, as well as films such as Friday After Next, White Chicks, Bridesmaids, Idiocracy, Gamer, and The Expendables.
Crews starred as Nick Kingston-Persons in the TBS sitcom Are We There Yet? and as himself in the BET reality series The Family Crews. As of 2014, he plays NYPD Sergeant Terry Jeffords on the Fox sitcom Brooklyn Nine-Nine and hosts the game show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.
Early life
Crews was born in Flint, Michigan, the son of Patricia and Terry Crews, Sr. He grew up in a strict Christian household, where he was raised mainly by his mother. After earning his high school diploma from Flint Southwestern High School, he received a Chrysler-sponsored art scholarship at the prestigious Interlochen Center for the Arts in Michigan. This achievement was soon followed by an Art Excellence scholarship and a full-ride athletic scholarship for football at Western Michigan University. As a defensive end for the WMU Broncos, Crews earned All-Conference honors and helped his team win the Mid-American Conference Championship in 1988.
In an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live, Crews stated that his first job in the entertainment industry was working as an artist for WJRT in Flint, Michigan. Crews later became the courtroom sketch artist for the station.
NFL career
Crews was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams in the 11th round of the 1991 NFL Draft. His career included stints with the Rams, the San Diego Chargers, the Washington Redskins, and the Philadelphia Eagles.
Acting career
After retiring from the NFL in 1997, Crews pursued an acting career and got a role as T-Money on Battle Dome. He later had roles in films such as White Chicks, Friday After Next, Training Day, Soul Plane, The Longest Yard and The Benchwarmers. He has made many cameo appearances; he was in Blink-182's music video for "Down" as a police officer and in Jamie Kennedy's "Rollin' with Saget" as a security guard. Crews appears in "Click" as the singing driver Adam Sandler's character Michael Newman encountered while stuck in traffic.
His stint as the father on Everybody Hates Chris gained him further fame.
He has been featured in several Old Spice TV commercials for their "Odor Blocker Body Wash", their body sprays, deodorant and most recently, their shaving lotion. The ads are directed by Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim. He has also done commercials for Nike. He starred in his own reality series on BET, The Family Crews, about his everyday life with his family. The show premiered on February 21, 2010.
Personal life
Crews married Rebecca King, a former beauty queen and gospel recording artist, in 1990. They have three daughters, Azriel (b. 1990), Tera (b. 1999), and Wynfrey (b. 2004), and one son, Isaiah (b. 2007). He has one step-grandchild through a stepdaughter from his wife's previous relationship (b. 1989) Naomi. He is a Christian.
Crews is also a hobby painter and sketch artist.
In 2014 he released his autobiography, Manhood: How To Be A Better Man Or Just Live With One.
Filmography
Film
Television
Music videos
Video games
References
External links
- Official website
- Terry Crews at the Internet Movie Database
- BET Shows - The Family Crews Website
- Just Sports Stats
