Lee Daniels remains close to Jussie Smollett, although the filmmaker says he still isn’t sure what to believe about the actor’s alleged hate crime attack.
The Empire co-creator sat down with “The Breakfast Club” on Monday, Aug. 19, to promote his new Netflix movie The Deliverance. With the film’s lead actress Andra Day by his side, Daniels discussed the faith-based horror thriller and working with Mo’Nique on the film.
When the conversation turned to Smollett’s alleged attack, Daniels said he’s conflicted.
“Look, it’s so complicated, guys. It’s so complicated. Life is so complicated,” he said.
“That whole situation was complicated. And I still don’t know what to believe,” Daniels continued. “People say he didn’t do it, he did do it. God bless him on his journey.”
Related: ‘Hoax’ Docuseries Claims Jussie Smollett Wanted ‘Civil Rights Martyrdom’
Still, Daniels said there’s room for Smollett to make a comeback.
“I’d work with him again,” he stated. “I would cast him in something again. He’s a son to me.”
On Jan. 29, 2019, Smollett told police two masked men — who turned out to be his friends Abimbola and Olabinjo Osundairo — put a noose around his neck and doused him with a chemical on a Chicago street, while shouting racial and homophobic slurs.
After investigating, Chicago police accused the Empire star of trying to pull off an elaborate hoax.
Then-Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel said Smollett orchestrated the attack to “self-promote” his career.
Related: Lee Daniels ‘Beyond Embarrassed’ by Jussie Smollett Scandal
The day of the incident, Daniels expressed outrage about the incident in a since-deleted statement on Instagram, and urged Smollett to “hold your head up.”
Once police said the whole thing was a hoax, Daniels admitted he may have spoken too quickly and said he was “embarrassed.”
In December 2021, a Chicago jury found Smollett guilty on five counts of felony disorderly conduct for lying to police. A Cook County judge later sentenced him to 150 days in jail.
Smollett has continued to maintain his innocence.
He was released from jail on March 16, 2022, pending his appeal.
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