In a candid interview with People, Jussie Smollett, the former Empire star, recently opened up about his ongoing legal battle. While he didn't directly say it, Smollett hinted that the case against him for allegedly faking a hate crime in 2019 was orchestrated by those who dislike him.
“I felt very disconnected from that. I still to this day can't entirely make sense of, ‘What the f–k was that?' But obviously it was painful. I certainly am not going to sit here and try to act to the world as if I was fine,” Smollett shared, reflecting on the experience.
He added, “People can say what they want about you, but they have no control. They can do whatever they want, they can even put you behind bars. They can control your physical, but they can't control my mind. They can't control my spirit. They can't control my soul, and they can't control the knowledge that I have of who I am.”
The story began in January 2019 when Smollett reported to Chicago police that he was attacked by two men wearing pro-Trump gear who yelled racist and homophobic slurs. Initially, people rallied behind Smollett, but the story unraveled as more evidence came to light.
Investigators concluded that Smollett had staged the attack with two brothers he knew from Empire. In December 2021, he was found guilty on 5 out of 6 felony counts of disorderly conduct and sentenced to 150 days in jail. He served just 6 days before being released pending appeal.
Smollett's legal journey continues, with his latest appeal being heard by the Illinois Supreme Court in September 2023. He'll have to serve the rest of his sentence if his conviction stands.
The actor opened up about the challenges he's faced since the conviction. “We're still dealing with the repercussions from that narrative. We're still dealing with that every day,” he admitted.
Smollett also shared that February 19, 2019 – the day of his arrest – was his “darkest day.” He explained, “That was a pretty dark day because that's when everything clicked to me of what was happening. A lot of things tested my strength, a lot of things tested my mental, but the one thing I never lost — I never started thinking that I am somebody that I'm not. That is the one thing that did not happen.”
He emphasized his maturity during the ordeal, saying, “Keep in mind, I was deep in my thirties when this happened. This isn't like I'm a 16-year-old or a 20-year-old, [where] this is impacting their very being of who they believe that they are. I never started thinking that I am somebody that I'm not.”
As Smollett continues to navigate the aftermath of this highly publicized case, his story serves as a reminder of the complexities surrounding celebrity, truth, and the court of public opinion. For pop culture fans following this saga, it's a stark illustration of how quickly fortunes can change in the entertainment world and the lasting impact such events can have on a person's life and career.
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