By: Teelia Lowery
After posting bail, ready for war, actor Jussie Smollett is back on the set of “Empire.”
On Thursday, “Empire,” actor Jussie Smollett turned himself in and was arrested by Chicago Police. Following his arrest, he was charged with orchestrating and staging an assault on himself.
Smollett has played the role of Jamal Lyon, an openly gay middle child of a hip-hop music drama on Fox’s “Empire.”
“Empire is one of Fox’s highest-rated shows ranking 10th among all network entertainment shows, on the par with ABC’s “The Bachelor,” according to Nielsen.
Sources saw Smollett leaving Chicago’s Cook County jail after posting a $100,000 bail.
Fox enveloped their support after the arrest of Smollett.
“We understand the seriousness of this matter and we respect the legal process,” Fox said in a statement. “We are evaluating the situation and we are considering our options.”
The 36-year-old “Empire” actor reported days earlier to the Chicago Police Department that two masked men assaulted him outside his Chicago apartment.
It’s rumored that Smollett’s motive was because he was being written off the show.
“He is the third lead and one of the most beloved characters on the show,” the “Empire," Co-creator Danny Strong tweeted. “Writing him off the show has NEVER even been discussed.”
The show’s leads are Terrence Howard and Taraji P. Henson. Smollett is reportedly earning anywhere between $65,000 and $100,000 an episode.
With a salary of that large amount, sustaining growth within the industry is obsolete in a case of this nature.
The writers of the Lee Daniels and Danny Strong drama is shooting the penultimate episode of season five.
“Empire” ranks as Fox’s No. 2 drama and owned by 20th Century Fox Television.
Allegations shifted to Mr. Smollett writing a $3,500 personal check to U.S.-born Nigerian brothers Olabinjo and Abimbola “Abel” Osundairo to stage a Jan. 29 attack where the pair would yell, “This is MAGA country!” along with shouting racist slurs at Smollett.
Chicago Police arrive at Mr. Smollett’s home around 2:42 a.m. on Jan. 29. “Chicago Police noticed that Smollett had what appeared to have been a noose wrapped around his neck. Chicago Police captured video on police body camera. Moments later, Smollett asked the Police to shut off the cameras,“ the bond proffer reads. The investigation into what they described as a hate crime became a probe into disorderly conduct over filing a false police report.
On Thursday night, Smollett’s legal team said in a statement, “Smollett is a young man of impeccable character and integrity who fiercely and solemnly maintains his innocence and feels betrayed by a system that apparently wants to skip due process and proceed directly to sentencing.”
Smollett reportedly apologized to the cast and crew of “Empire”, on-set where he maintains his innocence.
“I wanted to say I’m sorry and, you know me, I would never do this to any of you,” Smollett said. “You are my family. I swear to God, I did not do this.”
The 36-year-old faces a class 4 felony charge if convicted.
コメント