The actor who plays Jamal sets the record straight on his joke about his fans-favorite character being written off on 'Empire' after fans got mad at the series creator.
- May 23, 2016
AceShowbiz -
Jussie Smollett confirms that Jamal will be back for "Empire" season 3. The actor feels the needs to assure fans of his return to the next installment of the hip-hop drama after the series creator, Lee Daniels, got death threats following an episode where his fans-favorite character was shot in the stomach and rushed to the hospital.
Smollett added fuel to Jamal's possible demise back then by tweeting, "I've thoroughly enjoyed my time w/ @EmpireFOX. I love you all. Truth. Time 2 make a record & some movies." He then backtracked on his message, "Listen 2 my words...I'll see y'all season 3. #IAintGoingNoWhere #IAintNoDumbHo #StillIRise #EmpireFinale #empire."
Listen 2 my words...I'll see y'all season 3. #IAintGoingNoWhere #IAintNoDumbHo #StillIRise #EmpireFinale #empire pic.twitter.com/hqo3iMV3lQ
— Jussie Smollett (@JussieSmollett) May 19, 2016
The actor later explained that he clarified his cryptic message after learning that his joke got serious real fast. "I was thinking my little core group of amazing fans would be like, 'What?' " he said at an event in Los Angeles. "But it just went so much further. There were calls about it, and Lee was getting death threats about it."
Jamal did survive the shooting, but he won't sing again until his family ends their feuds. "It changes him and impact him in huge and small ways," Showrunner Ilene Chaiken said. "As I said, physical pain, emotional trauma and all of the revelations that come to a head in this finale about who his family is and whether or not that's who they're destined to be."
