More music, madness as Empire returns
Gabourey Sidibe moves up as over- the- top drama returns
Lucious is alive but not so well, with a jail cell his current address. Cookie is doubling down on her battle for the family business. And Chris Rock, the Rev. Al Sharpton and Marisa Tomei are along for the ride as Empire returns with the extravagant storytelling that made it an instant hit last season.
Gabourey Sidibe, who plays Becky, gets why fans adore Empire. She loves watching the show as much as making it.
“The storyline is so enticing and it keeps you guessing. It’s the drama of it all. And the music is amazing,” said Sidibe.
This season holds more overthe- top drama for all connected with Empire, the music and entertainment company built by Lucious Lyon and his exwife, Cookie ( Terrence Howard and Emmy- nominated Taraji P. Henson). Their three sons are fighting for a share of the Lyon dream, as each sees it.
A prosecutor is intent on bringing down the former drug dealer and gets him jailed without bail.
Cookie is making a public show of helping him but does she really want to spring Lucious?
She’s trying to finalize a hostile takeover of Empire Entertainment while her ex seeks to keep his grip on Empire from inside prison walls.
Sidibe, who was a college student planning to be a psychologist when she fell into acting, has found herself helping people in unexpected ways because of her career.
Q What’s ahead for Becky?
A At the end of last season, Becky went from assistant to Lucious to a promotion, and she’s now the head of A& R ( artists and repertoire). She now has more power than she ever had. She’s not taking phone calls or making appointments for other people. She has her own roster of clients that she’s dealing with. So it’s really fun.
Q Are you and Becky alike?
A I’m not as much a go- getter as Becky is. We are similar in the way that we’re smarter than people think we are, but I think she works a lot harder than I do. And she’s much more serious than I am.
Q You were 24 and studying to be a psychologist when Precious launched you unexpectedly fell into an acting career. How have you changed since then?
A I’ve learned it doesn’t help to say, ‘ No, I can’t do it.’ I’ve learned that fear is not useful. I’m surprised how many things I’ve bumped into over the last eight years that scared me to death and that, when I actually came across them, I didn’t even feel it. It’s interesting how well I’ve been able to forget to have fear.
Q You’ve become known as someone who refuses to be defined by limited standards for women’s looks. Do you feel a responsibility to act as a role model?
A When I was a young girl, I didn’t see enough of myself on TV or in magazines. And representation is very important to everyone, but especially to girls like me, and people like me, whether it be because of my body, because of my race, because of my skin colour, because of my awkwardness or where I come from.
While it makes me nervous to represent for anyone, I am extremely proud that some brown, round little girl sitting in front of the TV can look at me and that she has value. That is the most important thing in the world ... What’s surprising is that it doesn’t always come from kids. I get it from the brown, round little girl but also the skinny white man. I think I am a round peg trying to fit into a square hole. And I think that’s what people relate to.