Last October, amidst the eruption of the #MeToo movement in Hollywood, actor Terry Crews made a significant impact by coming forward with his own experience of s**ual harassment.
The “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” star took to social media to disclose an incident where a prominent Hollywood executive had allegedly groped him at a party in 2016.
Crews later identified the executive as Adam Venit, a well-known figure in the industry representing top names like Adam Sandler and Sylvester Stallone.
Subsequently, Crews filed a police report and a lawsuit against Venit and his agency, William Morris Endeavor.
Crews’s decision to speak out not only shed light on his personal ordeal but also challenged stereotypes, demonstrating that individuals like himself, a former NFL player weighing 240 pounds, could also be victims of s**ual assault.
This move widened the scope of the #MeToo movement, earning Crews a spot among Time’s “the silence breakers” in their person of the year feature.
Recently, the legal battle between Crews and William Morris Endeavor has concluded.
The agency officially announced the settlement of the lawsuit, bringing closure to the case.
Additionally, it was revealed that Adam Venit is set to retire from WME following the resolution.
Venit had previously faced suspension and demotion after Crews made his allegations public.
In response to the settlement and Venit’s impending departure, Crews expressed his thoughts on Twitter with a single powerful word: “ACCOUNTABILITY.”
This sentiment resonates with Crews’s consistent message since speaking up about the incident.
He has emphasized the importance of holding individuals accountable for their actions, particularly in an industry like Hollywood where power dynamics often lead to abuse.
During his testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee, Crews highlighted the impact of the assault on him, stressing that it was a display of power and control over him.
Despite facing skepticism and dismissal of his claims as mere jokes or horseplay, Crews remained steadfast in asserting that what he endured was a form of humiliation.
In his lawsuit filed in December, Crews provided a detailed account of the alleged assault by Venit, describing it as a blatant and unprovoked s**ual attack that caused him immediate pain.
Crews also pointed out a culture within WME that seemed to tolerate misconduct, including predatory behavior by agents.
While Venit denied the accusations in court filings, the Los Angeles Police Department initiated a criminal investigation into the incident last year.
However, due to statute of limitations constraints, prosecutors opted not to pursue criminal charges.
Nevertheless, the internal review conducted by WME acknowledged that Crews’s accusation against Venit indicated a larger pattern of behavior rather than an isolated incident, resulting in Venit’s demotion from his leadership role within the agency.
