Miranda Derrick, the focal point of Netflix’s docuseries “Dancing for the Devil: The 7M TikTok Cult,” has taken to Instagram to express her fears for her and her husband James’ safety following the release of the documentary.
The three-part series, which debuted on May 29, delves into the lives of TikTok dancers who believe they are part of a talent management company called 7M. The docuseries highlights Miranda Derrick, who is estranged from her family, which is making efforts to bring her back. It also sheds light on Robert Shinn, the leader of 7M and a self-proclaimed “man of God” who pastors an exclusive church named Shekinah. Former members who escaped 7M recount their experiences of heartbreak and grief under Shinn’s leadership. One such member, Priscylla Lee, who participated in the series, is currently suing Shinn and other Shekinah members.
“I know I don’t usually make this kind of content,” Derrick begins in her video. “I just wanted to be transparent and a little vulnerable with you. Before this documentary, my husband and I felt safe. Now that this documentary is out, we feel like our lives have been put in danger. We have both been followed in our cars, we have received hate mail, death threats, people have been sending us messages to commit suicide, and we’ve been stalked.”
Derrick shares examples, showing apparent screenshots of threatening messages. “Someone said that, if I see you on the street, I’m going to come and get you so you better get security,” she claims. “Someone also said that, if I see you walking on the sidewalk, I’m going to come and shove you in the trunk of my car.”
The dancer, who boasts 2.7 million followers on TikTok and 1.7 million on Instagram, blames her parents and sister, Melanie Wilking, for the situation. “I don’t understand how my parents and my sister thought that this documentary would help me or our relationship in any way.”
By the end of the documentary, it is revealed that Derrick and her family have somewhat reconciled and are in communication. However, the family claims in the series that this is at the behest of her alleged cult leader to create a false impression that he is not keeping his young members away from their families.
Sadly, Derrick hints that the open line of communication may now be closing: “I have been getting together with my family for the past couple of years, privately, to work on our relationship, to make things right, to mend what has been broken. I’ve been loving getting together, laughing, just enjoying each other’s company. And this documentary has made it very difficult to continue doing that.”
She concludes her video by addressing her recent lack of content and promises to post more as she “sees the light at the end of the tunnel,” thanking her followers for their support.
According to the latest streaming ratings by Luminate, “Dancing for the Devil” was watched by an estimated 4.4 million people during the week of May 31-June 6. Netflix confirmed to Variety that the documentary will be submitted for consideration at the upcoming News & Documentary Emmy Awards later this year.
Miranda Derrick is experiencing the darker side of the internet. The TikToker has been in the spotlight since the May release of Netflix’s docuseries “Dancing for the Devil: The 7M TikTok Cult,” where her family alleged she had severed ties with them three years ago after joining the talent management company 7M Films. The organization, which Miranda joined with her husband James Derrick, was founded by Robert Shinn, a Los Angeles-based pastor with connections to the controversial Shekinah Church.
“Before this documentary, my husband and I felt safe,” Miranda said in a June 10 Instagram video. “Now that this documentary is out, we feel like our lives have been put in danger.”
The 27-year-old detailed how both she and James have been followed in their cars, as well as the hate mail and death threats they’ve received. “Someone said that, ‘If I see you on the street, I’m going to come and gut you so you better get security,'” she shared. “Someone also said that, ‘If I see you walking on the sidewalk, I’m going to come and shove you in the trunk of my car.'”
Miranda noted that the documentary has driven a further wedge in her complicated relationship with her parents and sister Melanie Wilking. “Honestly, I don’t understand how my parents and my sister thought that this documentary would help me,” she said, “or would help our relationship in any way.”
As discussed in the docuseries, the family has been trying to rebuild their relationship with Miranda, who they said reconnected with them last year after a lengthy silence. But following the documentary, Miranda said she feels hurt over their involvement with the project.
“Things are a little slower and I’m not posting as much,” she explained to her fans. “Just bear with me, I’m getting through this. I see the light at the end of the tunnel.”
While Miranda believes that the documentary is a “one-sided story,” her sister has a different take. “They were reached out to many times,” Melanie told Access Hollywood of Miranda and James. “And declined every time.”
The 25-year-old also refuted Miranda’s claims that the family was not supportive of her religious views, which focused more on God shortly after the influencer joined 7M in 2020. “I went to two of their private dinners and two of the services that you have to be invited to, and I picked up on all these red flags,” Melanie said. “So, when she’s saying that we weren’t supportive, it was because I was seeing what she wasn’t seeing.”
Melanie, who is also a TikToker, alleged that the organization “wanted to rip us apart” after she stopped showing up to their events. “And sure enough,” she noted, “look where we are.”
In a June 4 statement to E! News, 7M Films called the docuseries “a slanderous work of fiction, born from a failed extortion attempt, and invented for the sole purpose of gaining fame and fortune.” “We will continue to pursue all legal remedies available to stop the spread of salacious lies,” the statement continued, “and expect to be fully vindicated in court.”
E! News has reached out to Shekinah Church for comment on the docuseries but has not heard back. Netflix declined to comment when reached by E!.
Curious to know more about “Dancing for the Devil: The 7M TikTok Cult”? Keep reading.
Miranda Derrick is in contact with her family, according to her sister and parents, though the relationship remains strained.
