Empire star Jussie Smollett was hospitalized early Tuesday, the result of an apparent racial and homophobic attack.
The incident took place in Chicago, where the hit Fox series films. On Empire, Smollett plays Jamal Lyon, the middle son of the music family dynasty. Both the character and Smollett are gay.
The Chicago Police Department doesn’t identify Smollett directly, but said in a statement obtained by EW that a 36-year-old cast member of Empire was walking when two unknown offenders approached him, yelling out racial and homophobic slurs. They then attacked the victim, pouring an unknown chemical substance on him and even wrapping a rope around his neck. The offenders fled the scene, while Smollett transported himself to Northwestern Hospital and is said to be in good condition. TMZ, which first reported the news, also said that he has since been discharged.
Chicago PD says they are treating this as a hate crime and are currently gathering video and identifying possible witnesses.
Representatives for Smollett and Fox have not yet responded to EW’s request for comment.
In a statement to EW, GLAAD says they’ve “reached out to FOX and Jussie’s team today to offer assistance as well as support for him. Jussie is a true champion for LGBTQ people and is beloved by the community and allies around the world.”
Smollett’s portrayal of a black gay man on Empire was considered very noteworthy upon the series debut, and when talking to EW last year, the actor was excited about an upcoming “groundbreaking” storyline (“You’ve never seen two black men in this way,” he said.). The plot turned out to be Jamal dealing with his partner, Kai, being HIV positive.
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from Update News Zone http://bit.ly/2MFWbhe
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