Jussie Smollett’s colleagues and Hollywood peers have been outraged by an apparent racist and homophobic attack that left the Empire actor hospitalised.
Chicago police released a statement saying Smollett was approached by two men who yelled racial and homophobic slurs at him at approximately 2am on Tuesday (29 January).
He was then battered around the face by the offenders, before an unknown chemical substance was poured on him. One of the offenders also tied a rope around the 36-year-old’s neck.
Smollett took himself to hospital and was said to be in a “good” condition. The attack is being treated as a suspected hate crime, with TMZ reporting that one of the attackers yelled “This is Maga country” at Smollett.
On Instagram, Empire co-creator Lee Daniels wrote: “Jussie you are my son. You didn’t deserve, nor anybody deserve to have a noose put around your neck, to have bleach thrown on you, to be called ‘die f*****, n*****,’ or whatever they said to you. You are better than that. We are better than that. America is better than that.
“It starts at home. We have to love each other, no matter what sexual orientation we are, because it shows that we are united on a united front and no racist f*** 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***ing day in America.”
Fellow Empire co-creator Danny Strong posted on Twitter, saying: “Whoever did this, do not forget that you are nothing but hate filled cowards while Jussie’s talent and activism will continue to shine a bright light on to the world for decades to come.”
Ariana Grande, Reese Witherspoon and Terry Crews – along with various others, including American politicians – used social media to speak about the incident and to wish Smollett’ a swift recovery.
Smollett, who plays Jamal Lyon in Empire, has publicly identified as gay, telling Out magazine in 2016: ”I am a gay man with an extremely open heart.”
Police say the incident happened on the 300 block of E North Lower Water Street in Chicago.
