Fox and Disney Weigh Future of 'Empire' Actor Jussie Smollett
April 11 2019 - 4:20PM
Dow Jones News
By Joe Flint
Actor Jussie Smollett's future with the popular Fox television
drama "Empire" is in doubt, people familiar with the situation
said, after Chicago authorities accused him of faking a hate crime
but ultimately dropped the charges.
Executives close to the show are expected to meet in the coming
days to discuss a renewal of "Empire" for a sixth season and the
fate of Mr. Smollett, the people said.
The decision isn't just big for Fox Corp.'s Fox network. It is
also an early test for Walt Disney Co., which took over the studio
that produces the show, Twentieth Century Fox Television, in its
larger acquisition of assets from 21st Century Fox.
Disney has proved that it is willing to cut bait on a popular
star when controversy surfaces. Last year, the company canceled the
ABC sitcom "Roseanne" after its star Roseanne Barr sent a racist
tweet. The show went on without her as "The Conners" and will be
back next season.
"Empire" is still an important show for Fox and the network is
expected to order another season with or without Mr. Smollett, the
people familiar with the matter said.
A spokesman for Mr. Smollett didn't immediately respond to a
request for comment.
Mr. Smollett claimed that on Jan. 29 he was attacked by two men
who threw a rope around his neck, doused him with a chemical
believed to be bleach and yelled racial and antigay epithets at
him.
Prosecutors the following month charged him with filing a false
police report, after police investigated the matter. But in March
the Cook County, Ill., state's attorney's office dropped the
charges, noting Mr. Smollett had forfeited his $10,000 bond and
completed 16 hours of community service. In a statement, the office
said it wasn't exonerating the actor.
The decision was criticized by high-profile figures including
outgoing Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, who said dropping the charges
and sealing the case was a "whitewash of justice." He said Mr.
Smollett should reimburse the city the $130,000 spent investigating
the incident.
The events left the Fox network and studio in an uncomfortable
position regarding "Empire," a fast-moving drama that centers on a
music mogul and his family.
Twentieth Century Fox Television initially stood behind the
actor after he made his claim. But the story took twists and turns,
and Mr. Smollett's version of events was called into question.
Producers ended up writing Mr. Smollett's character, Jamal Lyon,
out of the show's final two episodes of the current season. The
network must soon decide on picking up a sixth season. Mr.
Smollett's fate is a component of those talks.
Chicago police alleged that Mr. Smollett had paid two associates
to carry out the attack to garner publicity in the hopes of raising
his stature and professional profile.
Mr. Smollett has stood by his story, saying he didn't stage an
attack but was the victim of a hate crime.
Write to Joe Flint at joe.flint@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
April 11, 2019 16:05 ET (20:05 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2019 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
Fox (NASDAQ:FOX)
Historical Stock Chart
From Mar 2024 to Apr 2024
Fox (NASDAQ:FOX)
Historical Stock Chart
From Apr 2023 to Apr 2024