What happened to Jussie Smollett and where is he now as Netflix documentary lands
Jussie Smollett, who starred on the TV series Empire, was accused of staging a hate crime against himself in 2019 and now it's been made into Netflix documentary, The Truth About Jussie Smollett?
Jussie Smollett is moving on following the resolve of his legal dispute which spanned six years with Chicago authorities. It occured when he reported being targeted by an alleged hate crime in 2019.
The Empire star alleged that two attackers had assaulted him near his flat, hurling racist and homophobic abuse. Following police enquiries, he faced charges for filing a false police report and allegedly paying individuals to orchestrate the crime.
After a series of charges being laid and dropped twice, the court actions concluded with the actor's convictions being thrown out by the state according to reports.
Chicago police authorities then launched legal action against Smollett seeking to recover funds spent on their probe. In May this year, Smollett agreed to make a charitable payment in return for the lawsuit being withdrawn.
He is now breaking his silence in a Netflix documentary, The Truth About Jussie Smollett? which landed on August 22. So, where is Jussie Smollett today? Here's everything you need to know about the actor six years on from the hate crime hoax.
Where is he now?
With the alleged hate crime hoax now officially in his past, Smollett is concentrating on rebuilding his career and starting a family in his personal life.
In June earlier this year, the former Empire star revealed he had popped the question to his boyfriend, The Last Holliday co-star Jabari Redd. "I'll be spending my birthday with my Fiancé... He said YES. ," he wrote on Instagram.
The year before, the actor told PEOPLE he was keen to pursue his musical and film-making ambitions, whilst also hoping to become a dad in the near future. "I pray to have a child," Smollett said.
"I'm the type of person that I think that I would feel ... I'll say this, I can't imagine my life ending without having been a father."
Smollett also credited his determination to continue his career despite his damaged reputation to motivate his future children. "I want my future kid to look at me and be like, 'Yo, he did that. He got through things and he created a world, or attempted to create a world and leave it just a tiny bit, or a lot of it, better than it was when he found it," he said.
"I just really want my kid to like me and be proud of me," Smollett added. "I'm doing all of this stuff is for my kid, for one day them to read this conversation and just be like, 'Oh, he said that he was doing this for us. And he did.' "
Is he still in acting?
Smollett took a step back from the limelight during his criminal case, but he shifted to working behind the scenes in 2020. His directorial debut, B-Boy Blues, which he also produced with his company SuperMassive Movies, was launched in 2021.
His second feature film, The Lost Holliday, where he both directs and acts, hit cinemas in 2024. Commenting on the film's reception, Smollett said: "I don't know that I was surprised, but I am so grateful. I'm a very grateful person and I'm happy to still physically be here and I don't take it lightly. The response has been ... I don't even know what the word would be. It's just great. It's just been wonderful to see."
More true crime news
Smollett also made a comeback to music with a contract with Rowdy Records. His second album Break Out is set for release in September following his 2018 debut album, Sum of My Music.
His career revival also sees him returning to Fox, the network that removed him from Empire. The actor will feature as one of the celebrity competitors on season 4 of Special Forces: World's Toughest Test, premiering on September 25 next month.
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