“Empire” will not be welcoming back Jussie Smollett
Jussie Smollett, the embattled actor who appeared on Empire for several seasons, will not return for the show’s finale. Smollett was written out of the show amid allegations he had faked a hate crime against himself and blamed Trump supporters.
Prosecutors allege Smollett staged the attack by hiring two Nigerian brothers who worked on the show to accost him while wearing red hats, meant to resemble Donald Trump’s “Make America Great Again” hats. Smollett has denied the allegations, but his acting career hasn’t recovered from the negative publicity.
Michael Thorn, the president of Fox Entertainment, said “many factors” contributed to the network’s decision not to bring Smollett back to the show.
“We’re not going to bring Jussie back to the show,” Thorn said. “There were a number of factors that went into the decision to not bring him back. There were many points of view about if he should come back or if he shouldn’t. As hard as a decision as that was, for us… it felt like it was in the best interests of the show and the cast. Our hope is that all of the controversy surrounding Jussie doesn’t overshadow the show, which we think is bigger than him.”
The charges against Smollett were dropped, although police maintain that the hate crime was a hoax.
-
The rapper was awarded $82 million on the grounds that the company breached their endorsement deal with him. This...
-
Murphy received the award for “outstanding contributions to the world of entertainment.” This week, the 2023 Golden Globes recognized...
-
Renner is recovering after receiving chest and orthopedic surgery. Earlier this week, actor Jeremy Renner, best known for his...
-
Though frightening, the incident gave Banderas new perspective in life. Last week saw the theater premiere of Puss in...
-
After 25 years, the animated series is moving onto new leads. Since it began airing in the 90s, the...
-
The neurological disorder has prompted Dion to postpone her next shows. Prominent singer/songwriter Celine Dion announced today that, following...
-
Wednesday beat out Stranger Things for most hours watched in its premiere week. Last week saw the Netflix premiere...
-
Schneider won the $250,000 grand prize. Monday night saw the final episode of the 2022 Jeopardy! Tournament of Champions,...
-
The fifth season’s pitch reportedly made Netflix executives cry. The fifth and final season of Netflix’s smash-hit series, Stranger...
-
A new film is coming in 2023. Since the 1950s, Toho’s Godzilla has been the first and foremost name...
-
Early viewers have praised the film for its more subdued, poignant narrative. Next month will see the theatrical premiere...
-
Johnson is confident on the direction of the cinematic universe. This weekend will see the theater release of Black...