Jussie Smollett Likely To Return For "Empire" Season 6: Report

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Actors Jussie Smollett, Terrence Howard, and Taraji P. Henson of 'Empire' speak onstage during the FOX portion of the 2017 Summer Television Critics Association Press Tour at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on August 8, 2017 in Beverly Hills, California.
The "Empire" family is ready to welcome back Smollett to the cast.

Shortly after news broke out about Jussie Smollett's alleged attack, he received an outpour of support until police flipped the script and said they believe Smollett staged the whole thing. They even allege that his motive was to increase his celebrity profile. That clearly didn't work out for him and many believed that there wouldn't be a chance his career would be able to be revamped. However, that doesn't seem to be the case as the Empire writers are reportedly plotting on his return. 

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In late April, Empire was renewed for a sixth season but it was reported that Smollett's return was unlikely. "By mutual agreement, the studio has negotiated an extension to Jussie Smollett's option for season 6, but at this time there are no plans for the character of Jamal to return to Empire," Fox said in a statement. Immediately afterward, his castmates rallied for his return and it appears to have worked. According to Variety, writers for the show are plotting on Smollett's character's return to the show with an expectation that he'll be back towards the second half of the season. 

Sources close to the production said that the Smollett controversy sparked tension among the predominantly Black cast, who believe that Smollett is innocent, and the predominantly white below-the-line crew, who think that Smollett is guilty. There's hope that the tension will die down between seasons, given Smollett returns. No final decision has officially been made.  


About The Author
Aron A. is a features editor for HotNewHipHop. Beginning his tenure at HotNewHipHop in July 2017, he has comprehensively documented the biggest stories in the culture over the past few years. Throughout his time, Aron’s helped introduce a number of buzzing up-and-coming artists to our audience, identifying regional trends and highlighting hip-hop from across the globe. As a Canadian-based music journalist, he has also made a concerted effort to put spotlights on artists hailing from North of the border as part of Rise & Grind, the weekly interview series that he created and launched in 2021. Aron also broke a number of stories through his extensive interviews with beloved figures in the culture. These include industry vets (Quality Control co-founder Kevin "Coach K" Lee, Wayno Clark), definitive producers (DJ Paul, Hit-Boy, Zaytoven), cultural disruptors (Soulja Boy), lyrical heavyweights (Pusha T, Styles P, Danny Brown), cultural pioneers (Dapper Dan, Big Daddy Kane), and the next generation of stars (Lil Durk, Latto, Fivio Foreign, Denzel Curry). Aron also penned cover stories with the likes of Rick Ross, Central Cee, Moneybagg Yo, Vince Staples, and Bobby Shmurda.
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