When Jussie Smollett first claimed he had been the victim of a racist, homophobic attack in downtown Chicago back in January 2019, the world reacted with horror. The Empire actor, then one of TV’s brightest stars, said two masked men assaulted him, hurled slurs, tied a noose around his neck, and poured chemicals on him. Within hours, celebrities, politicians, and activists flooded social media with messages of support. For many, it seemed like another brutal reminder of America’s deep racial and social divides.
But the story soon took a darker, more complicated turn. Chicago police accused Smollett of staging the entire ordeal in a bid for attention and a bigger paycheck. What followed was a swirl of headlines, a courtroom spectacle, and one of Hollywood’s most polarizing sagas of the last decade.
Now, more than six years later, Netflix’s new documentary The Truth About Jussie Smollett dives headfirst into the controversy asking viewers to confront not just what happened that icy Chicago night, but also what it revealed about race, celebrity, and power in America.
A Case That Gripped the World
Directed by Gagan Rehill, known for Louis Theroux’s Altered States and Rise of the Billionaires, the documentary doesn’t shy away from the messiness of Smollett’s case. It blends unseen footage with candid interviews, placing Smollett’s own testimony side by side with the police officers who investigated him.
For the first time since his 2019 sit-down with ABC’s Robin Roberts, Smollett speaks on camera about the ordeal. He insists he was the victim of a real attack, reliving the pain of that night and the personal fallout that followed. His confessionals are raw, reflecting not just on the scars on his face but also the damage to his career and mental health.
The production also brings in heavy hitters from the other side of the story—former Chicago Police superintendent Eddie Johnson, ex-chief of detectives Melissa Staples, and even local reporters who covered the case as it unraveled.
Perhaps most telling, however, are the appearances from Abimbola and Olabinjo Osundairo, the two brothers who told investigators Smollett hired them to stage the assault. Their voices, alongside Smollett’s, create a tense back-and-forth that leaves viewers wrestling with competing truths.
The Bigger Picture: Race, Trust, and Public Reaction
Back in 2019, the alleged attack became a cultural flashpoint. High-profile figures—from Viola Davis and Shonda Rhimes to Donald Trump, were quick to weigh in. Supporters saw Smollett’s claims as yet another reminder of rising hate crimes in America, while skeptics framed the case as proof of deep political and racial divides.
When police later labeled the incident a hoax, the backlash was swift and merciless. Memes spread online, late-night hosts mocked him, and Hollywood largely distanced itself from the actor. Even today, the name “Jussie Smollett” is shorthand in some circles for deception, while others continue to argue he was railroaded by a system with its own history of corruption and bias.
That’s where the documentary finds its edge: it doesn’t just rehash courtroom transcripts. It places the scandal within the larger conversation about policing, media narratives, and who gets believed in America.
Why This Story Still Matters
At its heart, The Truth About Jussie Smollett isn’t just about one man’s alleged crime. It’s about how society reacts when issues of race, sexuality, and celebrity collide in the spotlight.
For Smollett, the fallout was career-ending. Once a rising star on a global hit show, he has spent the last few years fighting to be heard beyond the “hoax” label. For the public, the case left scars of its own, deepening cynicism at a time when trust in institutions and each other, was already fractured.
The documentary doesn’t tell viewers what to believe. Instead, it lays out the competing narratives and invites audiences to decide for themselves: was Smollett a victim of a hate crime, or the author of one of Hollywood’s greatest scandals?
As far as true-crime-style documentaries go, this one has the drama, the emotion, and the credibility to keep audiences hooked. From Smollett’s tearful defenses to the Osundairo brothers’ blunt confessions, the film unfolds like a courtroom in your living room.
Whether you walk away believing Smollett or convinced of his guilt, one thing is clear: the case still has the power to divide. And perhaps that’s why, even six years later, we’re still watching.
{Source: The Citizen}
Featured Image: X {@MatthewNichol5}
