Andy Samberg is proud of Brooklyn Nine-Nine co-star Terry Crews for speaking up about sexual assault

Published: 17:33 EDT, 29 June 2018 | Updated: 21:16 EDT, 1 July 2018

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Andy Samberg says he and others who appear on Brooklyn Nine-Nine are in awe of fellow cast member Terry Crews after the ex-football player's testimony to U.S. senators earlier this week about sexual assault.

'We have a cast text chain and we were all texting him how incredible it was,' Samberg said at a media appearance promoting his new film, Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation last Thursday.

'He's a miracle. Terry's the best guy,' Samberg added. 'I am proud to know him.'

Proud: Andy Samberg says he and others who appear on Brooklyn Nine-Nine are in awe of co-star Terry Crews after the ex-football player's testimony to U.S. senators about sexual assault

Support: 'We have a cast text chain and we were all texting him how incredible it was,' Samberg explained. 'He's a miracle. Terry's the best guy. I am proud to know him,' he added

Crews testified last Tuesday in Washington before the Senate Judiciary Committee about being groped at a party by a powerful Hollywood agent he is now suing.

'In 2016 while at a party with my wife, I was sexually assaulted by a successful Hollywood agent,' he explained.

'The assault lasted only minutes, but what he was effectively telling me while he held my genitals in his hand was that he held the power. That he was in control.'

Sen. Dianne Feinstein asked the actor, comedian and former athlete why he didn't physically fight back.

Crews explained that with the help of his wife, Rebecca, he has learned the benefits of non-violence in America, especially as a black man.

Spoke up: Crews testified last Tuesday in Washington before the Senate Judiciary Committee about being groped at a party in 2016 by a powerful Hollywood agent he is now suing

Support for the actor hasn't been universal.

Rapper 50 Cent mocked Crews' testimony and was excoriated on social media.

In a now-deleted post on Instgram, 50 Cent mocked Crews' testimony, writing: LOL ... Terry: I froze in fear. They would have had to take me to jail. ...'

However, the rapper later tried to play down his comment, telling the Associated Press at a Starz network event Thursday night: 'You know what? When you put LOL behind any statement, it means you're laughing out loud. That means it's a joke. That's it. Sometimes journalists leave those things out.'

Made fun on Instagram: Support for the actor hasn't been universal. Rapper 50 Cent mocked Crews' testimony and was excoriated on social media as a result

Los Angeles prosecutors declined to file charges against the agent, stating the groping didn't meet the criteria for a felony and that the February 2016 incident fell outside the statute of limitations to prosecute it as a misdemeanor.

While everything changed for Crews after the assault, he revealed during the senate hearing that those around him repeatedly told him that this was not abuse and that it was just ‘horseplay’.

'But I can say one man’s horseplay is another man’s humiliation. And I chose to tell my story and share my experience to stand in solidarity with millions of other survivors around the world. That I know how hard it is to come forward, I know the shame associated with the assault. It happened to me.'

He continued to discuss how emasculated he felt and how he felt when he saw others come forward with their #MeToo stories.

He pressed them to support the proposed Sexual Assault Survivors’ Bill of Rights.

'While we can call attention to a culture of toxic masculinity and the need to disrupt power dynamics, this bill creates long-term change and gives power and control back to survivors,' Crews said.