Lee Daniels and Jussie Smollett Got Death Threats Over ‘Empire’s’ Gay Storyline

Lee Daniels and Jussie Smollett Got Death Threats Over ‘Empire’s’ Gay Storyline

lee-daniels-taraji-henson-jussie-smollettEmpire co-creator and executive producer Lee Daniels revealed Sunday at the 2015 Produced By Conference in Los Angeles that he and Jussie Smollett, who plays the gay character Jamal, have received violent threats from some of the show’s audience.

“I have to relate to these people honestly,” Daniels said of the show’s diverse audience, “that trash can scene? It happened.”

He’s referring to a flashback scene in which a young Jamal is put into a trash can by his father, a furious Lucious Lyon (played by Terrence Howard), after Lucious discovers Jamal dressing up in his mother’s clothing and strutting around the house.

“Homophobia is real. It exists… Jussie and I both get death threats. But we will continue to do our thing,” Daniels told attendees on the Paramount Pictures lot.

Empire returns to Fox for a second, 18-episode season on Sept. 23.

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16 Comments

  1. simba
    June 04, 05:26 Reply

    Na jealous deh kill them,cus u fine pass them and ur market deh sell pass,ur even making cash and now a celeb.. hmmm why deh no go threat u when ur life is more fab than theirs…

  2. Masked Man
    June 04, 05:34 Reply

    Jussie is everything.
    Fine, sexy, cute, handsome.

  3. Ace
    June 04, 05:40 Reply

    To some people, seeing gay people succeed is just too much to handle.

  4. Max
    June 04, 06:08 Reply

    They should keep up with the death threats. Ndi ala.

  5. pete
    June 04, 07:06 Reply

    people really have enough time on their hands

    • posh6666
      June 04, 08:55 Reply

      Swerry seems u are behind in a lot of things.How boring ur life must be,miss virgin mary better get drunk and get fucked once and for all.Life is too short life isnt forever!

      • Gad
        June 04, 10:07 Reply

        Even if Sinnex,s virgin status challenges your life style somehow, don’t you think it will be wiser to keep it secret?

      • Sinnex
        June 04, 10:11 Reply

        Dude, you don’t want to start with me this morning.

        You better go back to your cows and Fura du nunu.

  6. kacee
    June 04, 07:41 Reply

    Jussie is so fine *fainting in his arms*, i wish he will show some skin in Empire Season 2 like he did in The Skinny(nice black Lgbt movie-wish they had more of this kind of movie)

  7. Gad
    June 04, 10:10 Reply

    Threaten someone because of a mere work of art? Hmmm. I wonder if it’s the same 24hrs I have in a day that some folks have. People really have time.

  8. pete
    June 04, 13:01 Reply

    yet to drool over any man posted here but Jussie simply have that guy next door look I love.

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