'Empire' Co-Creator Makes Final Decision on Jussie Smollett's Future with the Show: 'Jussie Will NOT Be Returning'
Actor Jussie Smollett, whose claims of being assaulted on a Chicago street transfixed and roiled America, will not be returning to the show “Empire,” according to a tweet from series co-creator Lee Daniels.
“Jussie [Smollett] will NOT be returning to Empire,” Daniels tweeted Tuesday.
@Variety @JoeOtterson This is not factual. Jussie will NOT be returning to Empire. -LD
— lee daniels (@leedanielsent) June 4, 2019
The tweet was a response to an article by Variety, which reported earlier in the day that the show’s writers were expecting Smollett to return for the second half of the show’s sixth and final season.
“This is not factual,” Daniels said of the Variety report.
Smollett’s status has been uncertain since the actor’s claims of having been assaulted began to fall apart. Smollett, who is gay and black, had said that on Jan. 29, he was assaulted by two men who insulted him with racial and homophobic slurs before putting a noose around his neck.
Police said Smollett was concerned over his standing with the show, and created a hoax that included sending threatening letters to himself to ensure he would remain on the show. When that did not produce the desired response, Smollett allegedly staged the fake attack.
Smollett was charged with fabricating the incident, but those charges were later dropped in a controversial decision.
Smollett, who played the character of Jamal Lyon on the show, did not appear in the final two episodes of the show’s fifth season.
The show was renewed in April, and Smollett’s contract with Fox was extended.
At that time, Smollett’s camp was upbeat about his future.
“We’ve been told that Jussie will not be on ‘Empire’ in the beginning of the season, but he appreciates they have extended his contract to keep Jamal’s future open,” a spokesperson for Smollett said in a statement, according to CNN.
“Most importantly, he is grateful to Fox and ‘Empire’ leadership, cast, crew and fans for their unwavering support.”
In April, Daniels talked about Smollett, saying, “There are only two judges — God and that man that wears a robe. And I cannot judge. I can only have compassion.”
Also that month, several “Empire” cast members wrote to Fox network executives asking that Smollett be allowed to return to the show.
Last week, Chicago police released documents from their investigation into Smollett’s alleged attack.
Police say Jussie Smollett did a drive through rehearsal prior to Jan 29 near scene of reported attack. Here is police surveillance pictures of his Mercedes. @cbschicago pic.twitter.com/8Foj5CeszD
— Charlie De Mar (@CharlieDeMar) May 31, 2019
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the records claim Smollett met with two Nigerian brothers who were allegedly hired to carry out the fake attack.
The documents include a comment from one of the brothers, Olabinjo Osundairo, who said he was careful not to harm Smollett. The records also revealed Smollett was reportedly afraid the other brother, Abimbola Osundairo, might hurt him.
Smollett also faces a lawsuit from Chicago police, who sued to recover what the police said was the $130,000 they spent investigating the false claims.
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