FOX Stands By ‘Empire’ Star Jussie Smollet In Light of Assault and Show Exit Rumors

Despite reports saying Empire actor Jussie Smollett staged his Chicago assault after learning about his writing off from the hit FOX show, the network came out in support of Smollet.

Earlier today, Variety reported that The Chicago Police Department had reason to believe that the attack on Smollett was staged. Two reporters each from ABC 7 and CBS Chicago claimed that the actor was aware that he was being written off from the show, leading him to conspire with the two perpetrators and fake the assault. However, Chicago PD later retracted their statement, claiming that the information was a hoax and “unconfirmed by case detectives.”

Chicago Police Department Chief Communications Officer Anthony Guglielmi addressed the “staged assault” rumors on Twitter, calling ABC 7’s sources inaccurate. “Media reports about the Empire incident being a hoax are unconfirmed by case detectives,” Guglielmi said. “Supt Eddie Johnson has contacted ABC 7 Chicago to state on the record that we have no evidence to support their reporting and their supposed CPD sources are uninformed and inaccurate.”

Because of this, FOX voiced its full support for the actor, calling the rumors “patently ridiculous.” In a joint statement from 201th Century Fox Television and Fox Entertainment, the network said, “the idea that Jussie Smollett has been, or would be, written off of Empire is patently ridiculous. He remains a core player on this very successful series, and we continue to stand behind him.”

Smollett was assaulted at 2 AM on January 29 by two men who shouted “racial and homophobic slurs” while attacking him. They then beat Smollett, poured bleach on him, and tied a noose around his neck before fleeing the scene.