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Part 3: Todd Bridges on Getting Hate Mail from Whites & Blacks for "Diff'rent Strokes" Role
Part 1: Todd Bridges: My Mom Trained Actresses Nia Long, Regina King & Sanaa Lathan
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Actor Todd Bridges shared his traumatic childhood experiences of being sexually abused by a family friend and publicist when he was ten or eleven years old. During an intimate interview, Bridges revealed that his personal battles included grappling with his sexuality due to the abuse he endured. He emphasized the deep, long-lasting harm that childhood sexual abuse can inflict. He expressed his frustration that the show he was part of at the time wanted to avoid the bad press and therefore, didn't report the abuse to the police. The incident has had a lasting effect on Bridges, preventing him from confronting the perpetrator. However, despite his traumatic past, Bridges continued his career in show business and even starred in the record-breaking miniseries, "Roots," in 1978. He also criticized the tendency to remake classic films and series, suggesting that they rarely match up to their originals.
