The day after Jussie Smollett was arrested on multiple felony charges for filing a false police report in his alleged racist and homophobic attack last month, Empire producers have cut his character, Jamal Lyon, from the show’s remaining season five episodes.
“The events of the past few weeks have been incredibly emotional for all of us,” executive producers Lee Daniels, Danny Strong, Brett Mahoney, Brian Grazer, Sanaa Hamri, Francie Calfo and Dennis Hammer said in a statement Friday morning.
“Jussie has been an important member of our Empire family for the past five years and we care about him deeply,” the producers added. “While these allegations are very disturbing, we are placing our trust in the legal system as the process plays out. We are also aware of the effects of this process on the cast and crew members who work on our show and to avoid further disruption on set, we have decided to remove the role of ‘Jamal’ from the final two episodes of the season.”
Related: Jussie Smollett’s siblings spring to actor’s defense, quoting Malcom X
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But don’t count Smollett entirely out of Empire quite yet.
When the show returns from its winter hiatus on March 13, it’s possible Smollett will find his way back onto the hit series that launched his career. Whether he is acquitted of his charges or found guilty could be the determining factor.
If he is found guilty of disorderly conduct in filing a false police report, he could also wind up in jail for up to three years.
At his bond hearing, Smollett’s case appeared weak as prosecutors presented evidence, including fairly damning text messages, to the judge.
Related: Jussie Smollett’s texts read aloud in court and they look very bad
Hours after he was released on $100,000 bond, Smollett visited the Empire set. Sources told TMZ that the actor told his colleagues:
“I’m sorry I’ve put you all through this and not answered any calls. I wanted to say I’m sorry and, you know me, I would never do this to any of you, you are my family. I swear to God, I did not do this.”
Deadline talked to an inside source who reported that the reunion was “very stressful for everyone.”
While it was previously reported that Smollett was making $60K or $65K per episode of Empire, Deadline reports the original cast members, Smollett included, have been clocking $100,000 per episode since the show became a huge hit after season one.
Smollett originally signed on for seven seasons of the show, and while producers have adamantly expressed that he is a central part of the series, his fate for the remaining two seasons is now uncertain.
briantopher
For the damage he’s done I don’t want to see his face ever again.
linx1240
You and me both!!! Such an Ahole he is!
Davidparacka
I feel bad for Chicago, they have enough bad press, if he can get jail, maybe a Chicago native judge will be the one to do it. Providing he doesn’t weasel his way out of it, as the justice system favors the criminal…
Terrycloth
Wait until the trial and his lawyer gets a plea deal where jussie does not ONE minute of prison gets probation…watch the outcry then.
QueerTruth
I still shocked that he is denying everything. Especially to the cast and crew who would also know the 2 culprits who helped him since at least one of the two worked on set. The entire story is unbelievable.
Vince
It’s kind of interesting watching him lie his ass off to the police, his own family, to the people he calls “my family” on Empire, and last but not least God.
Keep digging Jussie!
Vince
Wow. 100k for maybe an hour of work. Most of the population doesn’t make that in a year.
Does the guy even know how to tell the truth? Give it up already. Might as well have you on video planning it out. What a fool.
Bob LaBlah
You know Vince, after giving it some thought his screen time in each episode maxed out at ten-fifteen minutes at best during that hour. I know there are retakes, set preparation that he has to be present at or at least nearby does become time consuming but for a $100k per week payday I too agree most of us would be more than happy for those discomforts. lol lol Oh, and by the way, it seems hard to believe his scenes were that involved where he didn’t work a three or four hour workday and had three day work weeks at best. I don’t count the time he had to arise out of bed, wash his rear end, get dressed and be chauffeured to the set as work time but I bet she got to the point where she thought it was.
Brian
An hour of work? It takes like a week to film one 45 minute episode
OzJosh
Yes, it’s a week-to-ten-days to shoot a one-hour show. And with musical elements there’s extra rehearsals and pre-recordings. Actors on musical shows especially work their asses off.
startenout
I’m guessing none of you ever worked on film, because a 5 minute scene could mean a 12 hour+ shoot depending on various set ups to get different angles and closeup shots, the number of takes needed to get the delivery the way the director wants it or just to get different versions so they can piece together a scene. This is besides needing to know your dialogue and learn your blocking which is before the cameras even start rolling.
What he did was very wrong and I’d be more than happy with $60K per week, but dang at least know the industry you’re talking about!
iamru2
This guy is psychotic I’m surprised they allowed him back on the set. The victim mentality is so strong that he actually thought they would still want him there! This guy had so much going for him and he blew it all for what? And I don’t believe his motivation was just to get more money it was also to create more division and racial tension!
jaack
HAS he been taking lessons from Donald Trump on telling the truth? False statements are criminal when made to police. They make us all look bad about being attacked. It is bad enough when cops are predisposed to ignore complaints from F*GS, but to invent a story lends credibility to the hate mongers.
Can’t understand why a celeb. who is naturally under the public’s microscope would do such a stupid thing!
GayEGO
My thoughts as well, a Trumpster who is deranged and does senseless things. I guess he, like Trump, has no logic in his brain!
Mainere
He just sabotaged his own life and made it harder than what he thought it is.
Bob LaBlah
He grew up with everyone telling him how cute and precious he was unbeknownst the snake in the grass he was all along. I am shocked he was allowed back on that set. I make no apologies as I ask what if he pulled out a gun and started shooting people whom no one knew he hated. I can only imagine the pent up frustrations that were vented out at him. He claimed he got attacked so of course EVERY cast member HAD to say something sympathetic for the sake of unity. No, I think what they should have done was have you escorted off of that set under armed guard and he should have considered that a preamble to what to expect in jail.
jsmu
Greedy little B*TCH.
Enjoy the death of your ‘career,’ Smollett. You’re done.
bowlingbutch
I am so sick of actors who are already over paid thinking they deserve more more more. Think of the actors who never make it and he just turns his back on it and let’s his ego take over. Does he really think he irreplaceable
Brian
There is nothing wrong with expecting your salary to increase at a job you have for years. Actors shouldn’t be exempt from expecting what the rest of us do. And if a show is making a lot of money, if it’s not going to actors in the form of salary increases, then it’s probably going into executive bonuses instead. I don’t think that’s necessarily better.
Toofie
True, you would expect a raise after so many years. However, Empire’s ratings have been on a downward track for the last couple years. It’s a third of what it was getting at it’s height. So maybe think about job security instead of a raise.
NCSilverBear
Gee whiz! It sure sounds bad for Jussie. I said to my partner yesterday, if it’s true that he *did* fake this whole thing, there must be some mitigating problems in his life that we do not know about, yet. But, The whole situation sounds too bizarre. I find it difficult to believe the story that the police are putting out there. It’s hard to wrap my head around any of it. I still want to give him the benefit of the doubt. I’d like to believe in our justice system and the axiom that says a person is innocent until proven guilty. Right now, everyone seems hell bent on hanging Smollet without a full trial. Until then, I’m going to try to withhold my judgement. I want to hear the “rest of the story”.
Brian
We already know what the evidence is. You’re not a juror, you don’t have to presume innocence if you don’t want to, nor do the rest of us.
Some cases can have a reasonable amount of doubt going into the trial. This one is about as slam dunk guilty as we are ever going to see. To ignore what we already know is just silly.
Maleko50
I can’t believe the nerve of this idiot. He actually returned to the set?
bilford1017
Does anyone know what date Ellen will forgive him??
DHT
Empire should just kill off his character…they could make it a fake hate crime. Art imitating life.
jdr11201
What a dumbass … :/
rockland2u
Assuming he is found guilty, first offense, no record, no others were injured, probation is almost For gone conclusion. Other celebs have done far worse and served community service or time on weekends. Now financial and career wise, it’s gonna be bad.
Invader7
He’s added a new term to the American vernacular : ” he /she/they have gone and done a Jussie .” In a VERY negative way. What a complete LOSER !!! He did it. He KNOWS that hood very well. And the best part ,some of the items were purchased @ the Crafty Beaver Hardware store . This is so fricking bizarre. Jussie IS the Crafty Beaver. Maybe that’ll be his prison nick name..
joseph_buscarino
I usually try to be understanding and sympathetic in most situations cause its who I am, However in this situation I am anything but. What he did is absolutely horrific, and despicable, and jeopardizes the safety and lives of all future victims of hate crimes as well as the resulting justice any of them receives. In some ways he damaged our entire community, and to me that is pretty unforgivable, all for a bigger pay check or more attention?
Trump and his cronies, were already tweeting crap about the first day the news released, which just further legitimizes their narrow views about us and about all minorities in their minds. Hope it was worth it for him, as he went from a beloved celebrity to almost despised over night.
Onecaddy13
I’m done. I waited to hear both sides before I gave my opinion. When this alleged attack took place, I was very suspicious. His story didn’t align. But I still waited. Now, I think he should serve jail time, reimburse everyone involved. He’s a disgrace to the LGBTQ community as well as persons of color. He’s a thug with money. I wouldn’t say he’s that good at acting or singing. He took advantage of his celebrity to do such an abhorrent act. But he’s not smart, personal check to your conspiritors, Text and phone call from your personal cell. He didn’t do his homewotk when plotting this hoax, Chicago is not MAGA country. It’s 88% Democratic, but what i’m truly pissed of about, is him using a rope to signify a lynching. That’s truly disgraceful to his race and a truly hateful symbol. There’s no excuse for what he did, just for a little more recognition. Well you got it now and you won’t need that raise you were seeking in Jail. You disgust me!!! Again, I’m done, that’s all.
linx1240
So happy he’s dropped and needs to got to jail…JACKASS
Toofie
A smart move by producers. They’ll probably pay him out this season and exercise an out for next. The show isn’t pulling in 16 million viewers anymore, so it’s renewals will get tougher and FOX doesn’t need the negative controversy. Especially since part of the “story” involved the letter he sent to the show and the show’s apparent lack of concern about it. So he follows it up with an attack and it’s the show’s fault.
skyreader
If he were 19-20 instead of 36 years old, I might have some sympathy. He’s managed to enable despicable Trumpites into saying “I told you so” and diminish the suffering of real victims of racism and homophobia. He’s made fools of media reporters and those of us who felt bad for him. Now that the truth is out, he won’t take any responsibility for his actions. Dear Empire producers, fire his ass.
batesmotel
I told you so!
Felecia
So let me understand this; Smollet had two ripped-and-cut hot-bodied brothers to hang around with, yet decided to spend his time with them as being suitable for planning a phony hate-crime…??? Well, I gotta admit that it sounded fishy from the start, lol…and I have said since ‘Empire’ first began that Fox WILL find a way to dump his role as soon as possible; meaning after LGBT viewers got hooked and couldn’t quit watching. Now it seems that Jussie only helped that happen sooner, and in a way that has alienated him from his LGBT fan base. Fox must be thrilled, lol…no lawyers necessary, just a polite “See ya” as security holds open the corporate office’s door for him to exit. What a tool…..