Jussie Smollett's future on 'Empire' is unclear as the character gets married – Variety



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SPOIL ALERT: Do not read if you have not yet watched the episode of "Empire" on April 24th.

Jussie Smollett's character in "Empire" married at the very first gay and black television wedding, but the ongoing controversy over the actor's aggression makes his future uncertain.

The episode, entitled "Never Doubt I Love", was the last confirmed appearance of Smollett in the fifth season of the family musical drama. The authors of the series had removed him from the last two episodes of his arrest for allegedly filing a false police report.

If this episode was the last appearance of Smollett, his character, Jamal Lyon, ended well. He married his boyfriend Kai Givens (Toby Onwumere) and finally obtained the acceptance of his father, Lucious Lyon (Howard), who nearly missed the ceremony but arrived just in time to guide him down the aisle. Jamal three takes his pre-written wishes at the last minute, choosing instead to speak from the bottom of his heart about the complications of love and marriage. The couple ended the emotion ceremony by jumping over a broom, a tribute to the tradition of African-American marriage.

In January, the actor said that two men had assaulted him in a hate – motivated crime, but the Chicago police found no evidence of the attack. In March, the 16 charges against Smollett were abruptly withdrawn, prompting Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel to call the decision "money laundering" and President Trump to encourage the justice to investigate.

Lee Daniels, creator of "The Empire," initially supported Smollett's claims, but distanced himself once the police confirmed his suspicions of hoax. The dramatic Fox series had low ratings, which left the series in limbo while waiting for the decision to renew or cancel it.

Prior to this episode, the show's stars, including Taraji P. Henson and Terrence Howard, wrote a letter to Fox executives and show producers calling for Smollett's return if the series is resumed for a sixth season.

The fifth season of "Empire" airs on Fox on May 8th.

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