Disgraced former actor Jussie Smollett is being considered for a possible return for the series finale of the TV series Empire, as reported by Fox News.
Smollett was brought to international notoriety after he lied about a hate crime committed against him in January. After his claims were debunked, his character was written out of the show that made him famous. Further fallout from Smollett’s lies ultimately led to the series being cancelled, with its sixth season being its last.
Although his character has been absent from this season, showrunner Brett Mahoney recently said that the possibility of Smollett’s return for the finale is being “discussed.” However, he clarified that there is currently “no plan as of yet” to solidify such a return. Mahoney explained that the possibility is being considered because he feels that “it would be weird in my mind to end this family show and family drama of which he was such a significant part without seeing him.”
Smollett initially faced a criminal charge of filing a false police report, but Cook County Attorney Kim Foxx, who had a bias towards Smollett, dropped the charges. A special prosecutor was eventually appointed by a Chicago judge to investigate the hoax.