Jussie keeping his job – for now
“Empire” star Jussie Smollett was back at work after his release from police custody on Thursday — but his future on the hit drama remains up in the air.
The actor returned to Cinescape Chicago Film Studios, where “Empire” is recorded, said a source close to the Fox TV network, which produces the show.
His lawyer said earlier that the show had rearranged shooting to accommodate his court appearance.
But it’s highly likely that Smollett’s role as Jamal Lyon, the son of a hip-hop mogul, will at least be reduced due to the scandal surrounding him, the source told Page Six.
Earlier Thursday, 20th Century Fox TV and Fox Entertainment responded to Smollett’s arrest by saying, “We understand the seriousness of this matter, and we respect the legal process.
“We are evaluating the situation and we are considering our options.”
Meanwhile, the TNT network said it wouldn’t release an episode of its celebrity rap-battle show, “Drop the Mic,” that featured Smollett and had been scheduled to air March 6.
“We are pulling the episode in the interest of not being exploitative of an incredibly sensitive situation,” a TNT representative said.
Smollett faced off with “American Idol” runner-up Clay Aiken in the episode.
“FINALLY, I win a competition on TV and dumb #JussieSmollett screws it up so no one will ever know!! Just look at all the damage he’s caused!!” Aiken tweeted.
A crisis p.r. consultant declared Smollett’s career destroyed beyond repair.
“He lost his fans, and after that, it’s all over,” the consultant said.
“You can piss off studio heads or execs and come back from that. But because it was his fans he lied to — they were really there for him and rallied around him — he’s done,” the consultant added.
“Once you’ve lost your fan base, no network, no studio is going to take a risk on you.”
But brand strategist Marvett Britto saw a dim possibility of redemption for the 36-year-old actor.
“I think that if he is honest and transparent and genuine about his rationale for what led him to this deep, dark, disturbing place, he could potentially creep back into the hearts of people who had reverence for him,” Britto said.