Jussie Smollett has been written out of the last two episodes of Season 5 of Empire as the investigation into his alleged hate attack continues.
Despite a recent turn of events where Smollett was named a suspect in his own alleged attack, he has at least one ally on the Empire set in Terrence Howard.
On Saturday, Terrence Howard made his support known, taking to Instagram to post a video of Jussie Smollett and a baby. He wrote, “All your lil homies got you… We love the hell outta you.”
Howard’s comments section quickly filled up, both with those who support Smollett and those who don’t. After one commenter took aim at the Empire star, Terrence Howard responded, again taking up for his castmate.
“Sorry you feel that way but that’s the only Jussie I know,” Terrence wrote. “The Jussie I know could never even conceive of something so unconscious and ugly. His innocence or judgment is not for any of us to decide. Stay in your lane and my lane is empathy and love and compassion for someone I’ve called my son for five years. It’s God’s job to judge and it’s ours to love and hope, especially for those that we claim to have loved.”
Terrence Howard is the first Empire actor to come out publicly in support of Jussie Smollett since he was named as a suspect in the alleged attack against him. There are reports that the cast is split but it’s not known who may be siding against Smollett on set.
Howard’s support also comes just days after learning Smollett will not be seen in the final two episodes of the season in order to finish filming without the distraction. The future of his role as Jamal Lyon on the FOX hit series still remains up in the air.
Jussie Smollett case takes another turn regarding that $3500 check
Public opinion quickly turned on Jussie Smollett after leaks from the Chicago PD claimed evidence that the Empire star may have been involved in planning his own attack.
It was even reported that Smollett may have paid the Osundairo brothers $3500 for staging the attack.
New evidence suggests that was not the case and instead, a memo on the $3500 check coupled with text messages between Jussie and Ola confirm that he was paying for personal training and a meal plan in order to shape up in time for a shirtless music video shoot.
TMZ has even confirmed that the Osundairo brothers have admitted that the payment was for personal training and not to stage an attack on the Empire star.