Terry Crews on finding space, safety and perspective in Abu Dhabi

Actor and America's Got Talent host says UAE capital offers a calm he rarely feels in Los Angeles

Terry Crews at Yas Marina for the F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2025. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Terry Crews may have found his favourite new hangout.

The US actor and TV host, who was in Abu Dhabi over the weekend for the Abu Dhabi F1 Grand Prix and to compete in the Steve Harvey Celebrity Golf Classic, says the city offered him a respite he rarely experiences in Los Angeles.

“I actually feel safe here,” he says. “It’s really been wonderful. This place is just beautiful and I am really experiencing the differences in different places.

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“Listen, I live in LA and one thing about that city is you’ve got to keep your head on a swivel. There is a level of tension that is everywhere. You have to be cautious because you don’t know what the intentions of people are. Here, all of that can go away. You don’t have to worry about that. It’s like a vacation the moment you get off the plane.”

With a busy three-decade career, Crews says he is learning to take it all in. His work has moved between film roles and television, including hit sitcoms Everybody Hates Chris and Brooklyn Nine-Nine, where his mix of warmth and physical comedy made him one of the series’ most recognisable figures.

Terry Crews and Ronaldinho Gaucho in the paddock at Yas Marina. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Streaming has kept much of his past work in circulation, particularly Brooklyn Nine-Nine, which remains one of the most rewatched American sitcoms globally due to its presence on a number of streaming platforms, including Netflix regionally.

“That’s what I love about streaming,” Crews says. “With entertainment the way it is right now, people want bases they can trust because you don’t even know if you can trust people any more.”'

Crews describes his character on Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Sgt – later Lt – Terry Jeffords, who he played for eight seasons, as probably the closest to his real self, with all the vulnerability, worry and neurosis. He adds that being more open about that side of himself off-screen is the only way to navigate an entertainment industry that moves too quickly to predict.

Terry Crews as police officer Lt Terry Jeffords in Brooklyn Nine-Nine. Photo: Fox

“With influencer culture, celebrity is gone. It’s dying in a lot of ways,” he says. “Now it’s really about what you are going to do for people. How are you going to serve people? The main influence now is not about being famous. It’s about what you’re doing for your community, for your culture, for your people. What are you doing in a good way to make the world better?”

Crews has Harvey to thank for his Abu Dhabi visit, with the celebrity golf tournament launched by Melt Middle East, the events company co-founded by the US comic and television host.

Terry Crews takes part in the Steve Harvey Celebrity Golf Classic in Abu Dhabi. Photo: Melt Middle East

He credits Harvey for pushing him towards his enduring stint hosting America’s Got Talent.

“Harvey has always been my inspiration. He’s like my big brother,” Crews says. “I decided I wanted to try hosting because I saw him do it. I was acting and thought, let me try this. And now I have been hosting America’s Got Talent for eight years.”

Looking ahead, he hopes to make a bigger impression in the region and promises another return to the UAE capital.

“I don’t see it ever ending,” he says. “I’m going to keep travelling, brother. That’s what I’ve always been about. My main thing is always serving the most amount of people because that’s my responsibility. If we don’t serve people, we are in the wrong business. That is the Crews business and I love being worldwide.”