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‘Empire’ star Jussie Smollett hospitalized after homophobic and racist attack

The actor has been publicly out since 2015

Published

7 years ago

on

Jussie Smollett (Screenshot via Twitter.)

“Empire” star Jussie Smollett was hospitalized in Chicago after suffering a brutal homophobic and racist attack early Tuesday morning.

TMZ reports Smollett landed in Chicago, where “Empire” is currently filming, from New York City late Monday night. Around 2 a.m. on Tuesday morning, Smollett was walking out of sandwich chain Subway when he was approached by two men in ski masks.

“Aren’t you that fa**ot ‘Empire’ n**?” the men allegedly yelled at Smollett. The men proceeded to beat Smollett and fracture his rib. The assailants poured bleach on Smollett and put his neck in a noose yelling at him “This is MAGA country.”

The suspects fled the scene and Smollett was transported to Northwestern Memorial Hospital. He was treated and discharged a few hours later.

ThatGrapeJuice.net reports that Smollett had been the target of a homophobic and racist threat sent to Fox Studios in Chicago eight days before the physical attack.

The letter, addressed to Smollett, spelled out the words “You will die black f*g” in cut-out letters.

The Chicago Police Department told E! News they are currently investigating the incident as a “possible” hate crime.

“Overnight, the Chicago Police Department received a report of a possible racially-charged assault and battery involving a cast member of the television show Empire,” CPD Chief Spokesman Anthony Gugliemi told E! News. “Given the severity of the allegations, we are taking this investigation very seriously and treating it as a possible hate crime. Detectives are currently working to gather video, identify potential witnesses and establish an investigative timeline.”

Smollett portrays gay musician Jamal Lyon, the son of music mogul Lucious Lyon, on the hit Fox series. Smollett publicly came out as gay in a 2015 interview with Ellen DeGeneres.

The  New York City Anti-Violence Project (AVP) issued a statement in response to the incident highlighting the particular oppression of people with intersectional identities.

“While details are still developing, the hate violence Jussie Smollett experienced is reflective of what we see in our national data on hate violence, in our clients in New York City as well as the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs (NCAVP) across the nation. LGBTQ people living at multiple intersections of oppression, such as racism and homophobia, experience compounded violence. This reality is what informs us to do our work holistically. Jussie is not alone. Gay Black men are some of the most vulnerable to violence in the LGBTQ community and this must continue to be addressed. Our work focuses to end and disrupt systemic violence that thousands of LGBTQ survivors face, while also working to support survivors in the aftermath of violence. Our deepest thoughts and commitment to this work is with Jussie and all survivors.”

As details of the attack emerged, GLAAD issued a statement via the Hollywood Reporter: “Jussie is a true champion for LGBTQ people and is beloved by the community and allies around the world.”

Fox, the home network of “Empire,” also said in a statement: “We are deeply saddened and outraged to learn that a member of our Empire family, Jussie Smollett, was viciously attacked last night. We send our love to Jussie, who is resilient and strong, and we will work with law enforcement to bring these perpetrators to justice. The entire studio, network and production stand united in the face of any despicable act of violence and hate — and especially against one of our own.”

“Empire” creator Lee Daniels sent an emotional message of support to Smollett in an Instagram video.

“It’s taken me a minute to come to social media about this because Jussie, you are my son,” Daniels says. “You didn’t deserve to have a noose put around your neck, to have bleach thrown on you, to be called ‘die f––––t, n––––r,’ or whatever they said to you. You are better than that. We are better than that. America is better than that. We have to love each other regardless of what sexual orientation we are, because it shows that we are united.”

“No racist f––k can come in and do the things that they did to you. Hold your head up, Jussie. I’m with you, I’ll be there in a minute. It’s just another f–––––g day in America,” Daniels concluded.

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We got this @jussiesmollett ?????

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Other celebrities sent an outcry of support for Smollett and demands for justice.

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Photos

PHOTOS: Denali at Pitchers

‘Drag Race’ alum performs at Thirst Trap

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14 hours ago

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April 14, 2026

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Denali performs at the Thirst Trap Thursday drag show at Pitchers DC on April 9. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Denali (@denalifoxx) of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” performed at Pitchers DC on April 9 for the Thirst Trap Thursday drag show. Other performers included Cake Pop!, Brooke N Hymen, Stacy Monique-Max and Silver Ware Sidora.

(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)

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Arts & Entertainment

In an act of artistic defiance, Baltimore Center Stage stays focused on DEI

‘Maybe it’s a triple-down’

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2 days ago

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April 13, 2026

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Last year, Baltimore Center Stage refused to give up its DEI focus in the face of losing federal funding. They've tripled down. (Photo by Ulysses Muñoz of the Baltimore Banner)

By LESLIE GRAY STREETER | I’m always tickled when people complain about artists “going political.” The inherent nature of art, of creation and free expression, is political. This becomes obvious when entire governments try to threaten it out of existence, like in 2025, when the brand-new presidential administration demanded organizations halt so-called diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programming or risk federal funding.

Baltimore Center Stage’s response? A resounding and hearty “Nah.” A year later, they’re still doubling down on diversity.

“Maybe it’s a triple-down,” said Ken-Matt Martin, the theater’s producing director, chuckling.

The rest of this article can be found on the Baltimore Banner’s website.

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Books

Susan Lucci on love, loss, and ‘All My Children’

New book chronicles life of iconic soap star

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2 days ago

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April 13, 2026

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(Book cover image courtesy of Blackstone Publishing)

‘La Lucci’
By Susan Lucci with Laura Morton
c.2026, Blackstone Publishing
$29.99/196 pages

They’re among the world’s greatest love stories.

You know them well: Marc Antony and Cleopatra. Abelard and Heloise. Phoebe and Langley. Cliff and Nina. Jesse and Angie, Opal and Palmer, Palmer and Daisy, Tad and Dixie. Now read “La Lucci” by Susan Lucci, with Laura Morton, and you might also think of Susan and Helmut.

When she was a very small girl, Susan Lucci loved to perform. Also when she was young, she learned that words have power. She vowed to use them for good for the rest of her life.

Her parents, she says, were supportive and her family, loving. Because of her Italian heritage, she was “ethnic looking” but Lucci’s mother was careful to point out dark-haired beauties on TV and elsewhere, giving Lucci a foundation of confidence.

That’s just one of the things for which Lucci says she’s grateful. In fact, she says, “Prayers of gratitude are how I begin and end each day.”

She is particularly grateful for becoming a mother to her two adult children, and to the doctors who saved her son’s life when he was a newborn.

Lucci writes about gratitude for her long career. She was a keystone character on TV’s “All My Children,” and she learned a lot from older actors on the show, and from Agnes Nixon, the creator of it. She says she still keeps in touch with many of her former costars.

She is thankful for her mother’s caretakers, who stepped in when dementia struck. Grateful for more doctors, who did heart-saving work when Lucci had a clogged artery. Grateful for friends, opportunities, life, grandchildren, and a career that continues.

And she’s grateful for the love she shared with her husband, Helmut Huber, who died nearly four years ago. Grateful for the chance to grieve, to heal, and to continue.

And yet, she says of her husband: “He was never timid, but I know he was afraid at the end, and that kills me down to my soul.”

“It’s been 15 years since Erica Kane and I parted ways,” says author Susan Lucci (with Laura Morton), and she says that people still approach her to confirm or deny rumors of the show’s resurrection. There’s still no answer to that here (sorry, fans), but what you’ll find inside “La Lucci” is still exceptionally generous.

If this book were just filled with stories, you’d like it just fine. If it was only about Lucci’s faith and her gratitude – words that happen to appear very frequently here – you’d still like reading it. But Lucci tells her stories of family, children and “All My Children,” while also offering help to couples who’ve endured miscarriage, women who’ve had heart problems, and widow(ers) who are spinning and need the kindness of someone who’s lived loss, too.

These are the other things you’ll find in “La Lucci,” in a voice you’ll hear in your head, if you spent your lunch hours glued to the TV back in the day. It’s a comfortable, fun read for fans. It’s a story you’ll love.

The Blade may receive commissions from qualifying purchases made via this post.

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