Terry Crews: I’m the biggest unicorn in Hollywood

For a guy who admits to once fishing for loose change among his sofa cushions, this man has come a long way. Born in Flint, Michigan, in 1968 into a devout Christian family, he goes on to study at Western Michigan University, plays American football and draws sketches on the side. Although “on the side” is perhaps a bit of an understatement. He says it like this: “During my first NFL off-season, my passion for art reawakened. I sketched for enjoyment and loved doing logos for local rap groups and businesses… I worked at a small design firm doing sketches, mock-ups, and painting animation backdrops. At the team hotels, I would set up my art table and continue to paint. I had no shortage of players contracting me to do portraits of their wives, kids and themselves.” What he doesn’t say: He earned more money with his sketches than by playing football.

His latest project is a collection for American furniture brand Bernhardt Design that has even made a splash internationally. Crews drew inspiration from the culture of ancient Egypt and imagined what it would be like if pharaohs were still around today. The result was Lilypad, a swivelling chair set on a low table. Crews’s explanation: “There’s this Egyptian sky god named Horus and he was always pictured sitting on a water lily. And basically, when you sit in my chair, you feel like a god.” The chair looks good, too – although it costs a proud 3,800 dollars. But even if you don’t get yourself a Lilypad, you should continue to keep an eye on the sorts of things Terry Crews does on the side.