"Empire" actor Terrence Howard shared supportive words for costar Jussie Smollett in the aftermath of a horrific attack.
Smollett was hospitalized Tuesday after two people ambushed him, put a rope around his neck and berated him with homophobic and racial slurs in Chicago.
"I heard he's getting better," Howard said during a "Good Morning America" interview Wednesday. "You know, he's angry. But I know Jussie. Jussie's anger will dissipate and he will forgive these people for what they did. But he won't, and we cannot forget their actions. They have to be forgiven because it was done out of ignorance."
Police in Chicago are currently investigating the attack as a possible hate crime. No suspects have been identified, nor have any arrests been made.
The attackers also poured an unidentified substance on Smollett, police said.
Howard, who plays the father of Smollett's character on "Empire," said Wednesday that Smollett is the person who "cheers everyone up" on set.
"He's the one that does all the Instagrams if he catches you sleeping," Howard said on the ABC morning show. "Today, no one was caught sleeping. No one even took time to close their eyes and nap. They were all in shock that our family, the Fox family, the Empire family, the Lyon family, was attacked by a bunch of hyenas today."
Smollett publicly came out as gay in 2015 and portrays a gay character on "Empire."
Howard is the latest star to voice his support for Smollett following the ordeal. "Empire" co-creator Lee Daniels sent a powerful message on Tuesday in a video shared on Instagram.
"We have to love each other, regardless of what sexual orientation we are," Daniels says in the clip. "Because it shows that we are a united front and no racist f _ k can come in and do the things that they did to you... It's just another f _ king day in America."
