On last night’s episode of Empire, Jussie Smollett’s character Jamal Lyons married his fiancé Kai in what has been called the “first wedding of a black, gay couple during primetime on a major broadcast network.” However, the episode could be Smollett’s last as the show’s director and cast butt heads over whether Smollett should appear in season 6 of Fox’s dramatic musical series.
Empire‘s creator, openly gay director Lee Daniels, recently said that drama surrounding Smollett’s alleged January 29 hate attack in Chicago is “causing a dilemma.” He added, “We are in discussions about [whether to re-hire Smollett] right now.”
When asked whether he believed Smollet, Lee replied, “There are only two judges: God and that man that wears the robe. And I cannot judge. I can only have compassion. If he is guilty, then I am worried about his mental health.”
Related: 5 actors who could replace Jussie Smollett on ‘Empire’
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According to Entertainment Weekly, the show’s main cast, including Terrence Howard, Taraji P Henson, Bryshere Y. Gray, Trai Byers, Gabourey Sidibe, and Nicole Ari Parker “sent a letter to Fox and the Empire creative team asking for Smollett to be brought back for the yet-to-be-ordered sixth season.”
The letter said:
We understand the past months have been difficult to process—sometimes the headlines brought more confusion than clarity, yet we now have a conclusion to this ordeal. Throughout Empire’s five seasons working with Jussie and watching how he has conducted himself throughout this traumatic event, we have come to know not just the character Jussie portrays, but also truly come to know Jussie’s personal character. He is kind. He is compassionate. He is honest and above all he is filled with integrity. He is also innocent and no longer subject to legal uncertainty with the criminal charges against him having been dropped. We are confident in his lawyer’s assurance that the case was dismissed because it would not have prevailed….
It is why now, more than ever, we must stand together as a family. A family is there for us in good times and bad. It can cut through the noise and confusion to understand that there is a person in the center of all this who deserves nothing more than to move forward with his life. We understand that this show is a business. And that business matters to us as well. We are confident our fans will welcome our “Jamal” back into the Empire family as enthusiastically as we will.
That is why we write today to ask you to keep Jussie on the cast so that we can all put this behind us and move forward.
Smollett was written out of this season’s two final episodes after Chicago police charged him with faking a hate crime against himself. Soon after, the show’s ratings plummeted.
Smollett pled “not guilty” and all the charges were later dropped. Chicago police have since sued Smollett for the $130,000 it invested looking into his alleged attack, and Smollett has reportedly been suffering night terrors due to stress over the whole ordeal.
iamru2
Taraji is a racist so no surprise she’s backing a fellow racist and criminal who also has no problem with blaming innocent people for his own crimes! How crazy do you have to be to want someone like that working with you?
DCguy
Interesting, so you spent dozens of posts defending Aaron Schock, who in addition to voting to harm LGBT people, also stole over a hundred thousand dollars of tax money, took fraudulent bribes from donors and subverted hundreds of thousands of people’s voting rights by taking bribes for his vote.
Yet you have spent an equal amount of posts attacking Smollett who lied to police. Hmmmmm, What’s the difference?
joelk57
Bitter Much?!?!?
joelk57
And you know Taraji how exactly to make blanket assertions?
Chrisk
Of course because the DA dropped the case that must mean Jussie is innocent! Ha More like some phone calls were made. Political friends in high places and all.
The fact is the guys a pathological liar and a real POS. Anyone with a thinking mind knows that. You backing him says a lot about you.
Brian
I thought Empire’s ratings fell into the toilet after the scandal? How is it even being considered for a sixth season?
Toofie
They ratings have been sliding for a while. It’s definitely on the bubble.
Toofie
They ratings have been sliding for a while. It’s definitely on the bubble. They’ll be lucky to get any type of renewal, so the cast might want to rethink making demands.
DCguy
If everything they are saying is true, this guy is an idiot and I’d be shocked if they had him back on.
That said, interesting that the same right wing media screaming for his head either ignores or defends Aaron Schock.
QueerTruth
That letter though kind in spirit is completely delusional.
JS is a he worst of the worst and should never be seen on screen again.
ShiningSex
If you believe Smollett then you’re a special kind of dumb.
He’s a liar and has hurt hate crimes against the LGBT. More and more people will have doubters.
MHaumesser
It’s a tv show that he plays a character on so who cares. He did something stupid, like we all do. The man needs to work if it bothers you then don’t watch the show!
Brian
I’ve done plenty of stupid things in my life, but none of them could be classified as “like we all do” in comparison to what Jussie did.
Let him work at McDonald’s if he needs to work.
jcoberkrom
That’s the point will it help Empires viewership or hurt it. Neither Daniels or he network care about anything else.
man5996853
Drinking too much and streaking across your neighbor’s lawn is stupid. Staging a hate crime to help with salary negotiations is something entirely different. “Stupid” does cover Jussie’s actions. Not by a long shot.
And I did stop watching.
justgeo
AX the asshole. Not worth the $$$$$$ he was getting.
joelk57
And how much are you worth???
jcoberkrom
If he had admitted his error and was contrite I’d say give him another chance.
Otherwise, kick his smug self serving ass to the curb!!
oldpluto
The saddest thing about Smollett is what damage he has done to the acceptance that there are gay hate crimes. I don’t watch the show but his punishment of being kicked off the show is justified. If others don’t think this is fair, hire him to be on some other series.
eidolonnyc
They make a very good and sincere case, which would move me if I was a Fox executive. I think Jussie fabricated the whole thing, but it’s good to be reminded that people are weak and have flaws, even epic ones, but we can forgive or at least understand and be generous and kind. It’s good that they are standing up for him, and I hope he is penitent and humble enough to appreciate the magnitude of that gesture.
redzebra1
You’re slobbering is pathetic! He hasn’t recanted! But you want us to embrace him anyway?
Toofie
Yeah, he hasn’t owned up or apologized. So no moving to a career resuscitation yet…
theafricanwiththemouth
Sorry, you sound like a nice person, but this is just disgusting. You’re talking about a guy that has refused to apologize and is still claiming to be a victim. No, he’s gotta suffer for his wrongs until he’s ready to truly humble his lying self.
Josh447
Having him back on the show would hurt its viewership. Unfortunately he’s so branded with “guilty” and his case sealed (WTF) that he has dimmed the show down to a low vibe, I can’t see it surviving. The cast and crew may all be singing forgiveness and cumbaya but the public has been trashed at every turn of this guy’s trek. And the public isn’t forgiving when left in the dark. There seems to be so many unanswered questions. He’s not clean. He dirties whatever he touches now with a poor reputation of dishonesty. Cut him loose until we have full disclosure about all aspects of this drama. As of now he looks really bad and this baggage will forever follow him until it’s cleared up. If ever.
iamru2
I wonder how many of you saying forgive and forget would extend that sentiment to Aarron Schock?
Josh447
No one here is saying forgive and forget.
This trial isn’t even over yet. The Criminal trial may be over but the trial of public opinion still wants answers. Not until all three involved come on a talk show together and explain everything, and Smollette’s atty explains the deal that was made and why the case got sealed, forgive and forget is pretty much off the table.
Regarding Aaron Shock; he’s a psychopath doesn’t recognize what he’s doing is fully unapologetic for crimes against humanity and is going down in flames. He’s bad seed. Compassion maybe, forgive and forget without repentance? Rarely happens.
DCguy
It’s adorable that I busted you for rabidly attacking Jussie Smollett who lied to police, and yet just as forcefully defended Aaron Schock who voted to harm LGBT people, who ADMITTED he stole over $100,000 in tax dollars, as well as committing fraud, taking an illegal gift of hundreds of thousands of dollars from a donor to help out his company, and subverting the voting rights of hundreds of thousands of people.
You were busted on that and then…LOL…..Tried to turn around and pull the same thing. LOL
Wow, tell them to send in smarter trolls. Oh, and I think it’s time for you to go back on the other threads and cry about what a victim Schock is.