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Jussie Smollett
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'Empire' Co-Creator Lee Daniels Claims Working On The Show Was "Horrible": "Absolutely The Worst Experience"
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'Jussie Smollett: Anatomy of a Hoax' Docuseries Coming to Fox Nation This March
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Trevor Noah and Bubba Wallace Discuss Noose Incident: "People Compared Me to Jussie Smollett"
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'Empire' To End Early With Episode 18 Due to Coronavirus
As rumors swirl about the alleged attack on Empire star Jussie Smollett, TMZ is reporting that the Fox drama is minimizing his role. A new report claims that Smollett’s role in the second-to-last episode, which is currently being shot in Chicago, has been slashed to the point that “he’s no longer the focus” of the episode. Sources close to production tell TMZ that “the script has undergone multiple revisions” in the past 24 hours, possibly as a result of the rapidly-shifting story surrounding Smollett’s attack.
According to TMZ’s sources, Smollett was slated to appear in nine scenes in the episode, including a large musical number. However, in the last 24 hours, his role has been largely written out: five of his scenes have been cut from the script, and his musical number has been axed, as well. While Smollett will remain in four scenes, he’s reportedly “no longer the focus” of the moment; instead, he will appear alongside the show’s larger ensemble. TMZ reports that Smollett will only be on set “Friday and possibly Thursday,” and during that time, “he won’t be rehearsing.”
On January 29, Smollett claimed to have been attacked by two men yelling homophobic and racist slurs. Smollett began cooperating with investigators, and late last week, two brothers were arrested in connection with the attack. However, on Saturday, February 16, the brothers were released, and a source close to the Chicago Police Department told Deadline that “the new direction of the investigation is now based on the premise that Mr. Smollett was an active participant in the incident.”
Smollett’s defense attorney has vehemently denied the claim. “As a victim of a hate crime who has cooperated with the police investigation, Jussie Smollett is angered and devastated by recent reports that the perpetrators are individuals he is familiar with,” said his lawyers. “He has now been further victimized by claims attributed to these alleged perpetrators that Jussie played a role in his own attack. Nothing is further from the truth and anyone claiming otherwise is lying.”
