Empire Mulling Jussie Smollett’s Future With Show in Wake of Arrest
Empire is “evaluating the situation” in light of Jussie Smollett‘s arrest for allegedly staging a racist and homophobic attack against himself, Fox announced Thursday.
Smollett, who has played Jamal on the Fox drama since its debut, was arrested early Thursday in Chicago and faces a felony criminal charge of disorderly conduct/filing a false police report in connection with his alleged attack in January.
In a statement, series producers 20th Century Fox Television and Fox Entertainment said: “We understand the seriousness of this matter and we respect the legal process. We are evaluating the situation and we are considering our options.”
In late January, Smollett reported to Chicago police that he was the victim of an early morning attack in which two men taunted the actor/singer with racist and homophobic slurs, then beat him, poured a liquid on him and placed a noose around his neck. Per Smollett, the men also referenced “MAGA,” or President Donald Trump’s “Make America Great Again”slogan, during the incident. The actor elaborated on the attack in a February Good Morning America interview, telling Robin Roberts that he’d been “forever changed” by what happened to him.
When later developments seemed to contradict Smollett’s account, his lawyers insisted that he played no role in the attack, and the show’s producers denied that his part on the series would be reduced as a reaction to the controversy. “Jussie Smollett continues to be a consummate professional on set, and as we have previously stated, he is not being written out of the show,” the production company said in a statement at the time.
In a press conference Thursday, Chicago police alleged that Smollett hired two men to fake the attack because he was dissatisfied with his Empire salary. On Wednesday, the actor’s legal team released a statement saying, “Like any other citizen,Mr. Smollett enjoys the presumption of innocence, particularly when there has been an investigation like this one where information, both true and false, has been repeatedly leaked. Given these circumstances, we intend to conduct a thorough investigation and to mount an aggressive defense.”
They’re evaluating the situation?? Really?? Right, there’s no bias in the media WHATSOEVER!! This whole thing is a joke.
He sent a white powder letter to their place of business. What is going on here?
Well, the Roberts interview proved one thing: Jussie is a VERY GOOD actor. ;) too bad he just ruined his career…
On the contrary. His mannerisms and his demeanor in that interview raised a lot of red flags about his story. It actually showed him to be a mediocre actor. Nothing he said in it was convincing.
So with you. When he said-who would do that-he had a smirk on his face. Not to mention for someone who had a noose around his neck-he was way too calm.
I am surprised she didnt ask more probing questions. She said at the time she based it on what was known, but speculation reared its ugly head before her interview due to “leaks” .
If Jussie is suffering from some sort of psychiatric issue, he may have actually convinced himself of things that are not true. If that is the case, it would not have mattered. :( Or we may all be surprised when he gets his day in Court that trial by social media got it all wrong and believed the wrong party from the start. I doubt we’ll ever really know how it all played out. And even if Jussie did stage it, the Brothers are guilty of conspiracy, so I’m not sure why we are all giving them a pass…
They have the check he paid the brothers with. They have a copy of the original text he sent. They have evidence and you can read about it in the CNN report. At this point, I wouldn’t consider this a case of “if” and unreasonable social media reactions. If this takes another turn to his innocence it’ll require uncovering one big, orchestrated conspiracy.
So…you think the presumption of innocence, a tenet our whole govt was based on, is BS? How patriotic of you. You’ve heard ONE side? Where folks that were a PART of the conspiracy from Day 1 threw someone under a bus to save their own asses, so combine their leaked words with the trustworthiness of CPD when it comes to racial crimes, all is more important than our basic Cpnstitutional foundation? Because THAT is what you are saying. We ALL should be presumed guilty and have to prove innocence, rather than vice-versa. EXACTLY the stand the Russian Social Media Trolls are trying to get you to promote. Keep on speaking out against one of the basic things that separates free countries from oligarchies and dictatorships…I believe in the presumption of innocence, and our system doesn’t work when you throw that out the window like YOU ARE ADVOCATING with your comment. (Yes, that was purposely harsh…but when I say it like that, how does that make you feel? Does it make you think at all? Do you see why I qualified my own statement the way I did?)
Your are just as ignorant as Jussie is if you believe that pathetic story of his!! Facts prove he set this all up!!!
“[Jussie] feels betrayed by a system that apparently wants to skip due process and proceed directly to sentencing…”
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Have you seen any of the documentary evidence? Interviewed anyone yourself? I am afraid in your case, ignorance is in the eye of the beholder. Please reread our Constitution, and especially our 14th amendment:
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No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.
Wow, you make an awful lot of assumptions based on one paragraph. What does your comment make me think? IT makes me think that you have an opinion and you think that opinion makes you right and the rest of us unreasonable thugs who need to be educated. Just curious, when the story first broke did you accept Jussie’s account at face value or did you caution us all to be patient and wait for the facts to come out? When people started to question the veracity, did you chastise them for doubting the ‘victim’ OR did you caution those that did lash out at the doubters to be patient and wait for the facts? When the brothers were ID’d did you think the cops had the attackers or did you caution patience? I”m just wondering if you’ve been consistent or is this “presumed innocent and wait for it all to come out” only kick in when an actor you admire was on the hot seat. When the story first broke, I believed Jussie. I accepted his story. IT was awful and it was nauseating and I didn’t question it because who would make up such a horrible thing? When people started to question the story, I thought they were stretching…because seriously, who would be sick enough to make this up? The more that came out though…the harder it got to accept the other side of the coin laying out the case that it was a hoax started to gel in a more credible way. And by the way – you are saying that a guy who has falsely given a name before to avoid trouble, who has a history of drug use, who isn’t the pristine angel being painted in some stories is to be believed but we are to assume the CPD lacks trustworthiness as a whole because of their history? That seems a little hypocritical.
You are welcome to click on my name and see that yes, I have been saying let it play out, and he is entitled to due process from day 1. This site uses WordPress, so it is easy to see the comments I have made throughout. I have also been pointing out the lack of consequences for Terrence Howard when he was arrested for a felony during production. This is something there is no need to ask; it is all documented online for perpetuity if you bother to research and take 10 seconds to try to determine something…
Individuals are presumed innocent in our justice system. YES! That narrative is only applicable to the justice system. It does not have to be applied to any other areas such as employment, individual beliefs and societal beliefs. This is America right ? If someone chooses to believe he dd something then they are absolutely allowed to use any parameters they choose to base a conclusion on. I was confident day two he was hiding something. He claimed he fought back and hit one of the attackers. They managed to pour bleach on him and put a freakin noose around his neck. His own words he fought back. Ummmm if he chose to fight with those things happening more than likely it would have been a hell of a fight that resulted in more than minor scratches. Think about what you would do if attacked in that manner. A rope around your neck? You are fighting to live !!! On the other side if some hate monger is committing this type of attack – There would have been so much anger and physical violence. Put those 3 people together and he does not walk away with some scratches and a very minor bruise.
That may be, but from a legal standpoint, which very much factors into employment law and wrongful termination claims, nothinjg has been proven yet. The FBI has already said the CPD is “overreaching” when it comes to the letter, which their evidence still is pointing to the Brothers sending, despite their claims of innocence. Complicate this with Jussie having a legally protected ADA status as a recovering substance abuser, who must be offered a chance to get better, just as a cancer patient would. And the brothers claiming to be his Molly dealer activates that ADA protection, as it alleges a relapse. Whether anyone likes it or not, American Employees still have a right to due process, even in at will employment states. Add to that union-negotiated employment protections, which are a HUGE part of getting a SAG card. Yes, we forget that Actors are in a unionized profession. At this point he could have stabbed Robin Roberts during that GMA interview, and he’d STILL have a right to due process and the presumption of innocence, as well as all of the employment protections that unions require. Due process is a fundamental tenet of the Union Movement as well.
I could tell by his interview he was lying, I think it doesn’t matter how good of an actor he is, I could see right through it. Privilege, talent and money cant buy you character.
I could tell he was lying in the interview. Does it matter how good of an actor he is I could see right through it. It’s called body language and Common sense. Privilege Talent and money cannot buy you character.
He needs to be fired!!!!
He needs to be Fired!!!!!
Sorry it repeated…..
This is simple: Suspend him until this mess is over. If he’s found innocent bring back sometime next season, if he’s found guilty just write him off (Kia and Jamal got married and lives in England) and fire him.
No so simple considering they “accommodated” Terrence Howard when he was convicted of yet ANOTHER felony domestic violence incident during scheduled production. Instead, they chose to send Lucious to jail and work around TH’s reduced shooting schedule. Jussie has yet to be CONVICTED of anything. Jussie’s lawyers could get a REALLY good settlement out of Fox were they to treat Jussie any differently then they treated Terrence…
I agree with the pickle they put themselves in, legally. Natural justice requires similar treatment to what others have been given, consistency is often the key to what your legal rights are. I think it also says something about our society that people weren’t in the same kind of outcry about that, that he can keep his job without much pushback. But there you go.
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I think suspension before conviction, termination after conviction is the right way to go. But given the Terrence Howard situation – hard to be sure what they will do.
@Ben…have I yet told you how badly I wish we lived close enough to grab a drink or a coffee and discuss current events, as well as entertainment? :) I have SO enjoyed our discussions, and you really have helped me focus my own thoughts on the issue. :)
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I keep emphasizing that I am not agreeing that they did the right thing earlier, and would feel the same way about consistency were this Dick & Jane instead of Terrance and Jussie. :)
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My condo board joked one time that if we included DUI or possession in the “background check items” that could lead the condo to reject an app, it would be impossible to sell any unit. :) We’re basically going to have to clear Hollywood out completely if we want entertainment to be sin-free. Yet while we’re excoriating some, we’re idolizing a woman with big boobs and a big rear who released a sex tape and likes taking photos of herself.
Oh, and let me add something I’ve said before. Their best bet is to ride it out. The season is almost finished taping, and they’ve already diminished his role. Story wise, Jamal has been wanting to go back to London, but his family has been keeping him there. His contract MUST be up for renegotiation, as otherwise even alleging it was a salary-boosting move would be ludicrous. When it’s all died down, offer to put him back on recurring at 1/3 the salary.
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I grew up around the biz, and I especially know how the back end works. It actually makes more sense for the studio to have set up Jussie and the Brothers from a “life imitating art” type standpoint. Were this a movie, the Studio being the big baddie would be an awesome twist the audience would like MUCH better than the “Dude kicked his own behind!” ending we got…lol.
There is nothing to mull over! This is in no way less of an offense then sexual harassment and therefore there should be a zero tolerance policy for him!
Even though beating your wife for the umpteenth time is worse than sexual harassment, as is having an extended rap sheet for same, and Terrence Howard was accommodated during his prosecution and punishment phase? So it’s okay to have different standards for different performers when it comes to employment standards? And no, I’m not advocating for what they diod with TH, just saying that it established a precedent for Empire and the same precedent should be applied equally to ALL employees.
What is there to “mull?”
Fire him.
I agree, he is a disgrace
The guy staged a hate crime because he doesn’t make enough money??? Oh poor baby. I bet he makes a lot more than most of us. And Fox is “mulling it over”. Are you kidding me!?!?!?!?!?! Fired!!!!!
I think they did he gets 65,000 an episode
Easy fix… Jamal is in the caskett and bye Felicia
Roseanne was fired immediately from her own show she created because of a ignorant tweet, but this man commits a felony and still has a job. Double standard much?
I see your point, but right now he’s accused of a felony not convicted. There’s no denying that Roseanne tweeted what she tweeted. Obviously the felony crime is a more severe thing and should have more severe consequences…if convicted. I’m not commenting on whether or not he’s actually guilty or insinuating that he is or isn’t either way. But one requires investigation and one did not.
It’s two different networks though.
make him the person in the coffin – there u go – easy solution
ABC fired Roseanne for a lot less. This guy needs to confess and get some serious counseling.
I wish they would make up there mind… we support him, we’re cutting schedule back, we support him, were mulling our options… they needs to keep quiet or take a firm position, even if it’s to suspend him pending outcome.
This is a really sad story. He has ruined his career. Sad for everyone. He should be fired. they fired Roseanne, so fire him.
I won’t be watching if Smollett stays
He should be fired. Actors have been fired for on set tantrums, sexual harassment (with proof), alleged sexual harassment (no proof), and inappropriate language (racist/homophobic slurs). I think that this is definitely a fireable offense. It’s a truly awful thing.
Such a joke, there is nothing to mull over, fire his ass then he will have something to complain about when he doesn’t have a paycheck and is scrambling like the rest of us. This is unacceptable, Rosanne was fired for a tweet, granted I’m not her biggest fan outside of the show, but what he did was so much worse!! Its bad enough we have a huge race problem in this country but to deliberately lie like this is wrong.
Smollett did a very evil act, and should be fired.
It’s noble of them, there’s been an arrest but there hasn’t been any true admission of guilt on his part or been a trial, so while it’s kinda obvious he’s guilty, he shouldn’t be entirely treated that way until the investigation is over. However, they really have no choice but to fire him …
For hat he did he should be fired off the show just like Roseanne was he is no better then her and if they don’t fire him I will not be watching empire anymore until he is off the show
Nothing to evaluate. Who on the show would want to work with him? It’s a no-brainer. Fire him.
How much more of the season do they have left to shoot? It’s got to be down to the last handful of episodes.
He has to be suspended from the show and his name taken off the credits immediately.
They aren’t going to write the character out. They are going to have his character Jamal attacked on a Chicago street for being a gay & black just like he staged it and have acid poured on his face for the season finale. When the next season starts, there will be a time jump and he will have had multiple surgeries Jamal will be played by a new actor. The whole cast will pose for an informational anti-hate/bias crime message at the end.
Wow…that is SO MUCH better than the “burned while in London” scenarios we tossed around. :) That would fit right in on Star, and we’d find out Cassie was behind it. But, it could fit into Empire as an Empire vs LFM type revenge incident. ESPECIALLY if it’s Kingsley’s Mom in the coffin. I can see Kingsley hiring some thugs to take out Jamal, especially since Jamal found a way to get around Kingsley’s “contractual obligations” with the Duets album. Of course, at first it would appear to be a random Hate Crime, but Kingsley would be too egotistical not to let Lucious know he orchestrated it…
He needs to be fired