Jussie Smollett is setting the record straight! While appearing on “The Morning Hustle,” the actor clarified his past controversial comments.
In case you forgot, during his first public appearance after reporting what he termed a “racially motivated” attack in Chicago in 2019, the former “Empire” actor and singer told the crowd that he was “OK” after he had fought back against his attacker. He also joked that he was the “gay Tupac.” “I am not fully healed yet, but I’m going to, and I’m gonna stand strong with ya’ll,” he said during that appearance. “I had to be here tonight, y’all. I couldn’t let those motherf–kers win. So I will always stand for love. I will never stand for anything other than that. Regardless of what anyone else says, I will only stand for love and I hope that you all stand with me.”
Ultimately, Jussie Smollett was convicted in December 2021 on five counts of disorderly conduct for staging a hate crime against himself in January 2019. He was sentenced to 150 days in jail and was ordered to pay restitution and a fine. Smollett was released from prison on March 16, 2022, after serving just over six days in jail. His release came after a judge granted him a stay while he appealed his conviction. Since then, he has been slowly returning to the spotlight and making more appearances. During his latest one, he addressed these comments. Here’s what he had to say:
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Although the highly publicized and controversial case affected his career, Hollywood didn’t completely shut him out. During a recent appearance on *The Breakfast Club*, director Lee Daniels stated that he would work with Smollett in the future.
Smollett has already returned to acting with a role in the new movie *The Lost Holliday*, which he also directed. So far, it premiered at the 2024 American Black Film Festival. Other stars included in the film are well-known actress Vivica A. Fox, Jabari Redd, Cynthia Bailey, and more.
