A judge has set a $100,000 bond for "Empire" actor Jussie Smollett, who is accused of lying about being attacked.
The 36-year-old actor said little other than giving his name at the beginning of Thursday's hearing.
Police say the actor hired two brothers to help him stage a January 29 attack against himself.
Smollett, who is black and gay, said two masked men beat him, made racist and homophobic comments, poured some unknown chemical substance on him and looped a rope around his neck before fleeing.
But detectives in a city with many CCTV cameras could not find video of the alleged beating.
Smollett surrendered Thursday on a charge of felony disorderly conduct.
Speaking in a press conference, Chicago police Superintendent Eddie Johnson said Mr Smollett "took advantage of the pain and anger of racism to promote his career."
Mr Johnson said Smollett sent a racist and homophobic threatening letter to himself at the Fox studio lot before an alleged attack.
He also said he was "dissatified with his salary".
In a statement, his lawyers Todd Pugh and Victor Henderson said he "enjoys the presumption of innocence, particularly when there has been an investigation like this one where information, both true and false, has been repeatedly leaked".
