'The A-Team' Star Mr T Has 'Illegitimate Son' Who Once Filed $5.4m Lawsuit for Abandoning Him that Caused Him to Join Gang

Mr. T became famous for his role in B. A Baracus and went on to become popular for his well-executed roles in various films. However, when a 25-year-old man sued him for abandonment, Mr. T was anything but prepared.

The then 25-year-old Alexander Taylor hailed from San Diego in California, and in 2014, he came forward with claims of abandonment from the actor whose real name is Laurence Tureaund.

He was suing the actor for a whopping $5.4 million, claiming that Mr. T abandoning him as a child caused him tremendous emotional instability, making him join a gang.

According to the lawsuit, Taylor says Mr. T abandoned him as he did not fit his public image. He adds that as his father, Mr. T was responsible for providing for his shelter, clothing, and food, but he instead abused and neglected him.

Taylor also claimed that due to the abandonment, he suffered behavioral and psychological problems resulting from emotional distress. He says he suffered more problems, and as stated by the lawsuit:

"These include depression, lack of attachment or emotional bond to family and friends, low cognitive ability and poor social skills."

These problems made it hard for Taylor to transition into adulthood, leading to several suspensions from school, several juvenile admissions, and eventually joining a gang.

However, the lawsuit did not go through as Taylor was unable to raise the $400 fees required for filing and administration. At the time of the interview with Daily Mail, he was looking at having his case heard at an appeal court.

And yet, this would not be the first time that Taylor and his family would be suing Mr. T. In 1990, Taylor's mom Vanessa Taylor filed a case with the courts to establish Taylor's parentage. The case was, however, taken off the Circuit Court docket in 1994 under mysterious circumstances.

In 2014, [Mr. T] finally earned his place in the WWE Hall of Fame.

Mr. T is a father to three children, T Junior, Erica, and Lesa, with his ex-wife, Phyllis Clark. Growing up, Erica was always close to her dad, despite him wanting her to take a different path in life.

Erica had always envied the spotlight. She says her dad always wanted her to be a teacher, marry and have kids of her own, but Erica always wanted to be the center of attraction and ended up becoming a stand-up comedian.

Asked about her relationship with her father, she says since she started doing shows, her dad has never come to any, as he did not want her in the entertainment industry. She adds:

“We talk maybe once or twice a year. We’re not super close since I moved out.”

1983 was a big year for Mr. T as he started as an ex-commando in the series A-Team, a role that inspired a cartoon - Mister T, which aired on NBC.

In 1995, he started wrestling, winning the WrestleMania competitions alongside his tag-team partner Hulk Hogan. In 2014, he finally earned his place in the WWE Hall of Fame.

However, in 1995, he toned down on his career after he was diagnosed with T-cell lymphoma. He underwent radiation and chemotherapy and made a full recovery. He has been cancer-free since.