Lee Daniels and Jussie Smollett Got Death Threats Over ‘Empire’s’ Gay Storyline
Empire 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
wildero64
June 04, 04:23Crazy lol
Brian Collins
June 04, 05:12I love you Jussie. You fine, fine sexy man. PERIOD!!!!!
#TeamKizito
June 04, 05:22Hmm. Ok.
simba
June 04, 05:26Na 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…
Masked Man
June 04, 05:34Jussie is everything.
Fine, sexy, cute, handsome.
Ace
June 04, 05:40To some people, seeing gay people succeed is just too much to handle.
Max
June 04, 06:08They should keep up with the death threats. Ndi ala.
pete
June 04, 07:06people really have enough time on their hands
Sinnex
June 04, 07:30Haven’t seen the series yet
posh6666
June 04, 08:55Swerry 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!
Masked Man
June 04, 10:03Posh has got no chill. Lol.
Gad
June 04, 10:07Even 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, 10:11Dude, you don’t want to start with me this morning.
You better go back to your cows and Fura du nunu.
kacee
June 04, 07:41Jussie 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)
Gad
June 04, 10:10Threaten 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.
pete
June 04, 13:01yet to drool over any man posted here but Jussie simply have that guy next door look I love.