Lucas Delgado
In the 2004 comedy White Chicks, Terry Crews portrays the character Latrell Spencer, who dances and sings along to Vanessa Carlton's pop hit A Thousand Miles. This scene has become synonymous with Crews' career, with many citing it as the catalyst to his stardom. Crews has since recreated the dance on America's Got Talent and continues to re-enact it wherever he goes.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of the song | A Thousand Miles |
| Singer | Vanessa Carlton |
| Year of the song | 2002 |
| Movie | White Chicks |
| Year of the movie | 2004 |
| Genre | Comedy |
| Character played by Terry Crews | Latrell Spencer |
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What You'll Learn
Terry Crews' performance of A Thousand Miles
In the 2004 comedy film White Chicks, Terry Crews performs a rendition of Vanessa Carlton's pop hit "A Thousand Miles". Crews co-starred as Latrell Spencer, a pro basketball player who takes a particular liking to “Tiffany,” a character played by Marlon Wayans. In one of the film's most notable and iconic scenes, Crews' love-struck character picks Tiffany up after winning a date at an auction. During the car ride, Tiffany, who does not reciprocate Spencer's feelings, attempts to scare him off by playing "A Thousand Miles". To her surprise, Spencer is a fan and exclaims, "How did you know? I love this song!". He then sings along enthusiastically, making hilarious facial expressions and hand gestures.
Crews' performance has been hailed as one of the funniest moments in the film and even as the catalyst to his stardom. The scene has become synonymous with Crews' career, and he often reenacts it. In 2020, Crews recreated the scene with TV host Lilly Singh, and in 2021, he sang "A Thousand Miles" on Paramount's Lip Sync Battle and as a hype song for the AGT live audience. Crews has also expressed his love for the song, calling it a "miraculous moment in time" and saying that it changed his life.
The song "A Thousand Miles" was originally released by Vanessa Carlton in 2002 and has since become a popular and enduring hit. It received substantial promotion, and the music video was played on MTV even before the album was released. The song peaked at number five on the Billboard Hot 100 and remained on the chart for 41 weeks. It was also featured in the film Legally Blonde (2001) and has been praised by music critics for its classical-tied piano hook and the artist's vulnerable vocal style.
Terry Crews' performance of "A Thousand Miles" in White Chicks has not only become a memorable part of the film but has also had a lasting impact on Crews' career and the song's legacy. It showcases Crews' comedic talent and has solidified his place in pop culture, with fans recreating and referencing the scene even years later.
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The song's singer, Vanessa Carlton
In the 2004 film White Chicks, Terry Crews sings Vanessa Carlton's pop hit "A Thousand Miles". The song, written and performed by Carlton, was originally released in 2002 as the debut single from her album Be Not Nobody. The song was a massive success, spending 41 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 and earning three Grammy nominations. It also propelled Carlton to widespread recognition and commercial success.
Vanessa Lee Carlton is an American singer-songwriter and pianist known for her piano-driven pop music and evocative lyrics. Born and raised in Milford, Pennsylvania, Carlton was exposed to music from a young age, with her father being a fiddle player and her mother a pianist. She began playing the piano at a young age and also pursued ballet before shifting her focus to songwriting. After graduating from the School of American Ballet, Carlton decided to pursue a career in music and moved to New York City. She supported herself by working as a waitress while performing in bars and, eventually, caught the attention of music producer Peter Zizzo.
Through Zizzo, Carlton was introduced to longtime music producer Jimmy Iovine, who signed her to Interscope Geffen A&M Records. Her debut album, Be Not Nobody, was released in 2002 to largely favorable reviews. The album included the singles "Ordinary Day" and "Pretty Baby", in addition to "A Thousand Miles". Despite the success of her debut, Carlton struggled to replicate the same level of commercial and critical success with her subsequent albums, such as Harmonium (2004) and Heroes & Thieves (2007). However, she continued to evolve as an artist, and her later albums, such as Rabbits on the Run (2011) and Liberman (2015), were acclaimed by critics for their personal subject matter and musical growth.
In addition to her music career, Carlton has also explored other creative avenues, such as Broadway. In 2019, she made her Broadway debut as Carole King in Beautiful: The Carole King Musical. She has also publicly announced her bisexuality and is married to musician John McCauley, with whom she has a daughter.
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The scene's impact on Crews' career
The 2004 comedy film White Chicks features Terry Crews in one of its most notable and now-iconic scenes. In the scene, Crews' character, Latrell Spencer, a pro basketball player, picks up "Tiffany", with whom his character is smitten, after winning a date at an auction. "Tiffany", who does not reciprocate Spencer's feelings, attempts to scare him off by playing "A Thousand Miles" by Vanessa Carlton. However, to her surprise, Spencer is a fan and exclaims, "How did you know? I love this song!" He then sings along enthusiastically, making funny facial expressions and hand gestures.
The scene has been described as "hilarious", iconic, and synonymous with Crews' career. It is often referred to as the "catalyst to stardom" that Crews needed, propelling his success and entertaining audiences worldwide. Crews himself has acknowledged the impact of the scene, calling it "my favourite song" and even suggesting that he and Carlton "should go on the road together".
The scene has become so well-known that it has taken on a life of its own, with Crews re-enacting it wherever he goes and it becoming a popular topic on TikTok, with over 10 million posts related to Crews' dancing in the movie. The scene has also led to a friendship between Crews and Carlton, who have maintained contact and expressed admiration for each other.
In addition to the comedic aspect, the scene has also been praised for its choreography. Crews revealed that he prepared extensively for the scene, practicing the choreography in his hotel room for weeks beforehand. This dedication paid off, as the scene was completed in a single take, with director Keenen Ivory Wayans impressed by Crews' performance.
Overall, the scene in White Chicks where Terry Crews dances and sings along to "A Thousand Miles" has had a significant and lasting impact on Crews' career, solidifying his reputation as a talented and versatile entertainer.
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Crews' recreation of the dance on America's Got Talent
In 2022, Terry Crews visited the IMDb Yacht at San Diego Comic-Con, where he talked about his role in the 2004 comedy film White Chicks. In the film, Crews' character sings along to "A Thousand Miles" by Vanessa Carlton, a song that has since become synonymous with his career. Crews has also referred to the song as "life-changing".
While Crews has not recreated the dance from White Chicks on America's Got Talent, he has been the show's host since Season 14, joining judges Heidi Klum, Howie Mandel, Simon Cowell, and Sofia Vergara. Crews has become known for his warm-hearted and comedic presence on the show.
In Season 20 of America's Got Talent, Crews was awarded two Golden Buzzers for the first time, which he could use to send contestants straight to the live shows. Crews gave one of his Golden Buzzers to Jourdan Blue, a singer from New Orleans.
Although Crews has not recreated the dance on America's Got Talent, it has been recreated by many fans on TikTok, where videos related to "Terry Crews Dancing to Techno Music and White Chicks Movie" have garnered over 10 million views.
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The film White Chicks
The 2004 American buddy cop comedy film "White Chicks" was directed by Keenen Ivory Wayans and starred Marlon Wayans and Shawn Wayans. The film centres on two Black male FBI agents, Kevin and Marcus Copeland, who go undercover as white women to protect two hotel heiresses, the Wilson sisters, from a kidnapping plot. The agents use whiteface to disguise themselves as the Wilson sisters, who have minor injuries from a car accident and refuse to be seen in public.
The film received generally negative reviews from critics, with many citing its reliance on racial humour, gender-swapping, and stereotyping as problematic. It was nominated for five Golden Raspberry Awards, including Worst Picture. Despite this, the film grossed over $113 million worldwide and has since become a cult classic.
One of the film's most memorable scenes features Terry Crews, who plays Spencer, singing along to "A Thousand Miles" by Vanessa Carlton. The song became heavily associated with Crews due to his performance in the film, and the scene is often credited with catapulting Crews to stardom. Crews has since re-enacted the scene on various occasions and has referred to the song as "the catalyst to stardom he needed."
In the scene, Crews's character, Spencer, is driving with Tiffany, one of the Wilson sisters, who plays "A Thousand Miles" in an attempt to scare him off. To her surprise, Spencer is a fan of the song and sings along enthusiastically, making humorous facial expressions and hand gestures. This scene has become iconic and is often referenced in popular culture, with many viewers finding it hilarious and entertaining.
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Frequently asked questions
Terry Crews danced to "A Thousand Miles" by Vanessa Carlton in White Chicks.
Terry Crews played the character Latrell Spencer in White Chicks.
In the scene, Terry Crews' character Latrell sings along to "A Thousand Miles" while driving.
Yes, the scene is considered iconic and hilarious, and is often referred to as the catalyst to Terry Crews' stardom.
Yes, Terry Crews recreated the dance from White Chicks on the AGT stage and in a behind-the-scenes video on his Instagram.
