Actor Terry Crews has claimed a film producer said he could only return to the Expendables movie franchise if he dropped his sexual assault lawsuit against a Hollywood agent.
The film star made the allegation at a US Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on the Sexual Assault Survivor Bill of Rights, which establishes rights for survivors of sexual assault.
He cited it as an example of how “abusers protect abusers”.
WATCH – @terrycrews full opening statement: "I am honored to use my platform and story to help create additional civil rights protections for survivors across the nation under the Sexual Assault #SurvivorsBillofRights."
Full video here: https://t.co/RGjyB1WSAm pic.twitter.com/ezi14zs3mY
— CSPAN (@cspan) June 26, 2018
Crews, who last year accused William Morris Endeavor talent agent Adam Venit of groping him at a party, was asked if there had been any retaliation for making the sexual assault allegation.
He said producer Avi Lerner asked that the actor drop his case in order to appear in the fourth instalment of The Expendables action film franchise and warned of “troubles” if he did not. Crews has been in each of the previous films.
I asked @TerryCrews why he didn’t use his considerable strength to fight back when he was sexually assaulted. His answer is a powerful reminder of how victims are too often forced into silence to avoid damaging their careers or reputations. We need to hear the truth. pic.twitter.com/8xSxnhXj91
— Sen Dianne Feinstein (@SenFeinstein) June 26, 2018
“Abusers protect abusers — and this is one thing I had to decide, whether I was going to draw the line on. Am I going to be a part of this or am I going to take a stand, and there are projects I had to turn down,” he said.
An email seeking comment from Mr Lerner’s Millennium Films was not immediately returned on Tuesday afternoon.
Millennium Films is being sued for sexual harassment and gender discrimination by a former employee.
The Los Angeles County district attorney’s office decided in March not to file charges against Mr Venit, determining the allegations were not a felony. Crews has also filed a lawsuit against Mr Venit.