Taraji P. Henson Says "Empire" Set Is "Great" Amid Jussie Smollett Drama

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Jussie Smollett (L) and Taraji P. Henson attend Entertainment Weekly's first ever 'EW Fest' presented by LG OLED TV on October 24, 2015 in New York City.
The "Empire" set seems unaffected by Jussie Smollett's legal scandal.

Jussie Smollett is at the center of one of the biggest scandals of the year so far, which says a lot considering R. Kelly and Michael Jackson's alleged sex crimes are back in headlines once again. Smollett's legal battle has already had an impact on his career -- his Empire character has already been written off the final two episodes of this season with his future on the show still up in the air. Despite the controversy, it appears as though it hasn't had much of an impact on the atmosphere on set.

Taraji P. Henson spoke to ET recently about Empire and revealed that not much has changed on set since Jussie Smollett's controversy emerged in January. She explained that the set hasn't necessarily been impacted by the allegations surrounding Smollett, saying, "It's a great atmosphere." However, she didn't elaborate on anything else pertaining to the scandal.

Henson further discussed what to expect from her character, Cookie Lyon, on the show.

"Cookie's on a really emotional roller coaster this year," she said. "She's finding herself."

Smollett did appear on the show's mid-season premiere this past weekend which received a mixed reaction. The episode was filmed before the singer's scandal erupted.

However, the scandal may not only affect Smollett's future on the show but also, the rest of the cast. New reports emerged last week which revealed the future of the show is on the line with many fearing its cancelation due to the fact FOX has yet to renew the show for a sixth season. 


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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