Arts & Entertainment
Jussie Smollett pleads not guilty to 16 counts of disorderly conduct
The ‘Empire’ star will reappear in court in April
Jussie Smollett has pled not guilty to 16 counts of felony disorderly
The “Empire” star and his legal team appeared in court in Cook County, Chicago on Thursday to enter the plea. Smollett will be allowed to leave Illinois to travel to New York and Los Angeles to meet with his lawyers with 48 hour advance notice. He must also check in within 24 hours of returning to Illinois.
Smollett, who is black and gay, reported that on Jan. 29 in Chicago he was physically attacked by two men who hurled homophobic and racist slurs at him. During the investigation, Chicago Police arrested brothers Abel and Ola Osundairo in connection with the attack. The brothers, who were extras on “Empire,” were released after 48 hours without charges.
In February, authorities charged and arrested Smollett for felony disorderly conduct for allegedly filing a false police report. In a press conference, Chicago Police Eddie Johnson said that Smollett paid the Osundairo brothers to help him stage the attack so Smollett could receive a bigger salary on “Empire.”
Smollett’s legal issues led to him being cut from the final two episodes of “Empire.”
His legal team called the case “an organized law enforcement spectacle that has no place in the American legal system.”
Last week a Cook County grand jury indicted Smollett on 16 felony counts of disorderly conduct stemming from the alleged hate crime hoax.
Smollett will reappear in court in April.
The Freddie’s Follies drag show was held at Freddie’s Beach Bar in Arlington, Va. on Saturday, Jan. 3. Performers included Monet Dupree, Michelle Livigne, Shirley Naytch, Gigi Paris Couture and Shenandoah.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)
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Queer highlights of the 2026 Critics Choice Awards: Aunt Gladys, that ‘Heated Rivalry’ shoutout and more
Amy Madigan’s win in the supporting actress category puts her in serious contention to win the Oscar for ‘Weapons’
From Chelsea Handler shouting out Heated Rivalry in her opening monologue to Amy Madigan proving that horror performances can (and should) be taken seriously, the Critics Choice Awards provided plenty of iconic moments for queer movie fans to celebrate on the long road to Oscar night.
Handler kicked off the ceremony by recapping the biggest moments in pop culture last year, from Wicked: For Good to Sinners. She also made room to joke about the surprise hit TV sensation on everyone’s minds: “Shoutout to Heated Rivalry. Everyone loves it! Gay men love it, women love it, straight men who say they aren’t gay but work out at Equinox love it!”
The back-to-back wins for Jacob Elordi in Frankenstein and Amy Madigan in Weapons are notable, given the horror bias that awards voters typically have. Aunt Gladys instantly became a pop culture phenomenon within the LGBTQ+ community when Zach Cregger’s hit horror comedy released in August, but the thought that Madigan could be a serious awards contender for such a fun, out-there performance seemed improbable to most months ago. Now, considering the sheer amount of critics’ attention she’s received over the past month, there’s no denying she’s in the running for the Oscar.
“I really wasn’t expecting all of this because I thought people would like the movie, and I thought people would dig Gladys, but you love Gladys! I mean, it’s crazy,” Madigan said during her acceptance speech. “I get [sent] makeup tutorials and paintings. I even got one weird thing about how she’s a sex icon also, which I didn’t go too deep into that one.”
Over on the TV side, Rhea Seehorn won in the incredibly competitive best actress in a drama series category for her acclaimed performance as Carol in Pluribus, beating out the likes of Emmy winner Britt Lower for Severance, Carrie Coon for The White Lotus, and Bella Ramsey for The Last of Us. Pluribus, which was created by Breaking Bad’s showrunner Vince Gilligan, has been celebrated by audiences for its rich exploration of queer trauma and conversion therapy.
Jean Smart was Hack’s only win of the night, as Hannah Einbinder couldn’t repeat her Emmy victory in the supporting actress in a comedy series category against Janelle James, who nabbed a trophy for Abbott Elementary. Hacks lost the best comedy series award to The Studio, as it did at the Emmys in September. And in the limited series category, Erin Doherty repeated her Emmy success in supporting actress, joining in yet another Adolescence awards sweep.
As Oscar fans speculate on what these Critics Choice wins mean for future ceremonies, we have next week’s Golden Globes ceremony to look forward to on Jan. 11.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)
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