Empire stars Taraji P. Henson and Terrence Howard have petitioned Fox to bring back Jussie Smollett for the show’s sixth season. According to Deadline, both stars penned a letter to the channel’s Entertainment CEO Charlie Collier, Disney TV Studios and ABC Entertainment chair Dana Walden, Fox Entertainment president Michael Thorn, Empire co-creators Lee Daniels and Danny Strong, and other executive producers on the series.
Image: EmpireFox IG
The letter states in part; “Together, as a united front, we stand with Jussie Smollett and ask that our co-star, brother and friend be brought back for our sixth season of Empire.”
“Throughout Empire’s five seasons working with Jussie and watching how he has conducted himself throughout this traumatic event, we have come to know not just the character Jussie portrays, but also truly come to know Jussie’s personal character,” the letter reads. “He is kind. He is compassionate. He is honest and above all he is filled with integrity.”
“He is also innocent and no longer subject to legal uncertainty with the criminal charges against him having been dropped,” it continued. “We are confident in his lawyer’s assurance that the case was dismissed because it would not have prevailed.”
Co-stars Bryshere Y. Gray, Trai Byers, Gabourey Sidibe, and Nicole Ari Parker also added their signatures to the letter.
This comes a month after the 16 felony charges against Jussie Smollett for staging a racist and homophobic attack on himself were dropped.
Taraji P. Henson and Terrence Howard petition for Jussie Smollett’s Empire return.
