Terrell Carter from 'Beauty in Black' shared about being born to an 11-year-old special needs mother, and how he escaped family dysfunction

Terrell Carter/Shutterstock

Terrell Carter, who plays Attorney Varney on Tyler Perry’s series Beauty in Black, shared with Brandi Harvey on the Vault Empowers podcast that his mother was an 11-year-old child with special needs and one leg when she gave birth to him. Terrell revealed that his mother was impregnated by a 23-year-old extended family member who molested her. He mentioned that his relationship with his biological father was virtually nonexistent until his father was near death and his family dynamics were maladjusted.

During the interview, Carter explained that the dysfunction in his family and various challenges in his life were catalysts that shaped his journey and encouraged him to leave his home.

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Carter told Brandi that he left his hometown of Buffalo at age 16, pretending to be 21, in search of a music career in Detroit. He eventually found his place in the gospel scene, collaborating with numerous gospel artists, including Kirk Franklin, Fred Hammond, Yolanda Adams, and David and Tamala Mann.

His music career eventually led him to acting. Carter has a recurring role on Beauty in Black and was also featured on Empire for two seasons. The Buffalo native has appeared in several Tyler Perry productions as well as other Hollywood films.

Although Carter explained that he was embarrassed about his life for years, yet after much reflection and professional counseling, he decided to share his story in a memoir titled Problem Child, which was released in 2020.

He views his story as compelling and believes that while his family failed to listen to or advocate for his mother, he can serve as her voice through the book. Carter revealed that his mother has passed away, but he feels that his memoir allows him to honor her memory. The actor told Sheen Magazine, "It tells you my mom’s story and mine. It brings you up to date and reveals how I got to where I am today."

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