Jussie Smollett made history on the Wednesday, April 24, episode of Empire when his character partook in TV’s first-ever black, gay wedding, but his fate on the show still remains uncertain amid his ongoing legal troubles.
Smollett (Jamal Lyon) tied the knot with his onscreen boyfriend, Toby Onwumere (Kai Givens), on the episode titled “Never Doubt I Love,” which was Smollett’s last confirmed appearance on the Fox drama after he was written out of the series following his alleged attack.
The On Our Own alum, 36, was hospitalized in Chicago in January after he claimed he was the victim of a racist and homophobic attack. Though he has maintained his innocence in the situation, he was arrested in February for allegedly staging the assault and was indicted on 16 felony counts over accusations he filed a false police report.
During a court appearance in March, Cook County, Illinois, prosecutors dropped all of the charges against Smollett. “He was a victim who was vilified and made to appear as a perpetrator as a result of false and inappropriate remarks made to the public causing an inappropriate rush to judgment,” his lawyers, Tina Glandian and Patricia Brown Holmes, said in a statement to Us Weekly at the time. “Jussie is relieved to have this situation behind him and is very much looking forward to getting back to focusing on his family, friends and career.”
Us later confirmed that “there is an active federal investigation” into how the California native “received an unusually favorable plea deal. Basically, there is a probe to decide whether or not foul play was involved in his bargain with prosecutors.”
Empire castmates including Taraji P. Henson, Terrence Howard, Bryshere Y. Gray, Trai Byers, Gabourey Sidibe and Nicole Ari Parker penned an open letter to Fox bosses on Friday, April 19, asking them to bring Smollett back to the show.
“We understand the past months have been difficult to process—sometimes the headlines brought more confusion than clarity, yet we now have a conclusion to this ordeal,” the letter read in part.
Empire has yet to be renewed for a sixth season.
