'No plans' for Jussie Smollett to return to 'Empire' amid hate crime fallout.
Fox renewed its hip-hop musical drama"Empire" for a sixth season on Tuesday, but the network said it has"no plans" to bring back Jussie Smollett, the embattled actor who was accused of staging a hate crime by police.
"By mutual agreement, the studio has negotiated an extension to Jussie Smollett’s option for season six, but at this time there are no plans for the character of Jamal to return to 'Empire,'" Fox Entertainment and 20th Century Fox TV said in a joint statement.“We've been told that Jussie will not be on Empire in the beginning of the season but he appreciates they have extended his contract to keep Jamal’s future open," a spokesperson for the actor said.
Henson, Howard and other co-stars reportedly issued a letter to the show's producers earlier this week, begging the network to keep Smollett on board. The Cook County State's Attorney's Office said it dropped criminal charges against Smollett to focus its resources on violent crimes, a move that sparked backlash from Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and the police department.
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