Los Angeles - U.S. television network
Fox on Tuesday renewed drama series "Empire" for a sixth season
but said there were no plans to bring back the character played
by Jussie Smollett, the actor who said he was the victim of a
hate crime in January.
Chicago police accused Smollett of making up an attack
against him, but the actor maintained his innocence and
prosecutors dismissed criminal charges against him.
Smollett played gay singer-songwriter Jamal Lyon on the show
about a family in the hip-hop entertainment business. Fox did
leave a door open to possibly bring Smollett back by extending
an option on his contract.
"By mutual agreement, the studio has negotiated an extension
to Jussie Smollett’s option for season six, but at this time
there are no plans for the character of Jamal to return to
'Empire,'" according to a statement from 20th Century Fox TV and
Fox Entertainment.
"Empire" airs on the Fox broadcast network, a unit of Fox
Corp. The series is produced by the Fox television
studio, which was recently sold to Walt Disney Co.
A spokesperson for Smollett said in a statement that the
actor was "grateful to Fox and 'Empire' leadership, cast, crew
and fans for their unwavering support."
"We've been told that Jussie will not be on 'Empire' in the
beginning of the season, but he appreciates they have extended
his contract to keep Jamal’s future open," the spokesperson
said.
Smollett, 36, who is black and gay, ignited a firestorm by
telling police on Jan. 29 that two apparent supporters of
President Donald Trump struck him, put a noose around his neck
and poured bleach over him while yelling racist and homophobic
slurs on a Chicago street.
After weeks of investigation, Chicago police determined that
Smollett cooked up the scheme - in which they allege he hired
two brothers to pose as his attackers - because he was
dissatisfied with his salary on "Empire."
He was charged in February with staging the incident and
filing a false police report, but Cook County State’s Attorney’s
Office prosecutors dropped all charges against him in March.
Smollett admitted no wrongdoing but agreed to do community
service and give up $10,000 in bond money.
In April, the city of Chicago filed a lawsuit seeking three
times the damages it said it incurred in the investigation of
the incident.
