Photo Credit: Tik Tok
TikTok dancer Miranda Derrick has addressed the allegations and family estrangement depicted in the Netflix docuseries *Dancing for the Devil: The 7M TikTok Cult*, which premiered on May 29. The docuseries explores her family's claims that Miranda joined an alleged cult after affiliating with the talent management company 7M Films, run by Los Angeles pastor Robert Shinn.
Miranda, who rose to fame with her sister Melanie through their shared Wilking Sisters TikTok account, took to Instagram Stories on June 4 to share her side of the story. "I love my Mom, Dad, and Melanie and they will forever be a part of my life", she wrote. "The truth is, we just don't see eye to eye at this time. I believe that this documentary is a one-sided story".
Miranda, 27, explained that she dedicated her life to Jesus Christ in 2020 and initially asked her family for space to process her new faith. "My parents and sister are not religious. They immediately called me going to church twice a week a cult member" she said.
Despite her family's allegations, Miranda emphasized her efforts to reconcile, noting that she has met with them over the past few years to mend their relationship. The docuseries features interviews with dancers who left 7M Films and are in litigation with Shinn. These dancers allege that Shinn encouraged members to cut ties with their families. One dancer claimed that Miranda expressed missing her family but wasadvised by Shinn to avoid contact, suggesting she was "being brainwashed".
Miranda firmly denied these claims on Instagram, stating, "No one likes to be portrayed as brainwashed/not in control of her own life/shell of herself/human trafficked daughter/sister when that just isn't the truth". She asserted that she is living her life independently and is not a victim of abuse or coercion.
In response to the docuseries, 7M Films issued a statement calling it "slanderous work of fiction, born from a failed extortion attempt, and invented for the sole purpose of gaining fame and fortune". The company vowed to seek legal remedies to halt the spread of what it described as "salacious lies".
Miranda's family had previously aired their concerns on social media, prompting her to clarify on TikTok in 2022, "No, I'm not in a cult. I'm in a house".
The ongoing controversy highlights the complexities of personal faith, family dynamics, and public perception in the age of social media.
