Jussie Smollett Accused Of Staging Attack Because He Was Fired From ‘Empire’

Jussie Smollett has received a ton of love and support after he says he was attacked and targeted in a hate crime last month. However, not everyone seems to believe the Empire actor’s story.

According to TVLine, Jussie Smollett’s attack story is getting a bit bizarre. The actor was reportedly attacked in Chicago last month when he says that two men wearing masks over their faces yelled out racist and homophobic slurs to him, hit him with their hands, poured a chemical liquid over him, and then tied a rope around his neck.

Jussie claims that the assailants also yelled things such as President Donald Trump’s slogan, “Make America Great Again,” during the horrific and terrifying attack.

Now, some speculation is floating around that Smollett staged the attack in an attempt to keep himself from being fired from the TV series, Empire. Of course, Jussie denies any wrongdoing in the situation, and now Fox is speaking out.

Before the attack, there were no rumors that Jussie had been fired from the series, but now the speculation is running wild after police claim that the actor handed over his phone records, which they say were redacted.

The rumors got so out of hand that the network was forced to make a statement, which reveals that Jussie was never fired from the show, and that they continue to support him through this very difficult time in his life.

“The idea that Jussie Smollett has been, or would be, written off of Empire is patently ridiculous. He remains a core player on this very successful series and we continue to stand behind him,” 20th Century Fox Television said in a statement this week.

Smollett currently plays the fan favorite role of Jamal Lyon on the network’s musical drama, and viewers would likely be furious to see the character be written off the show.

As previously reported by the Inquisitr, Jussie opened up about the attack during an interview with Robin Roberts on Thursday’s episode of Good Morning America.

The actor claims that he’s been permanently changed by the attack, and that he’ll never be the same man he was before the terrifying night. He also revealed that he’s not sure he’ll ever be able to fully heal from the hate crime, especially if the people who did this to him are never caught and brought to justice for their actions.

Fans can see more of Jussie Smollett by watching Empire, which airs Wednesday nights on Fox, or by following him on Instagram.