LOS ANGELES, Feb 22 — Jussie Smollett has begged his Empire cast mates to believe he did not stage a racist and homophobic hoax attack on himself, TMZ has reported.
The meeting happened yesterday, hours after the openly gay 36-year-old actor posted a US$10,000 (RM40,000) bail and agreed to surrender his passport at a court hearing.
He was arrested on Wednesday after he was charged with lying to police in connection with the alleged attack in the early hours of January 29 in Chicago.
According to TMZ, Smollett said, “I’m sorry I’ve put you all through this and not answered any calls.
“I wanted to say I’m sorry and, you know me, I would never do this to any of you, you are my family. I swear to God, I did not do this.”
The gossip site did not report how the Empire cast responded to Smollett who was supported by his family.
Sources also told TMZ that it was obvious Smollett had been crying so producers told him come back later to film his scenes that were scheduled for yesterday.
Meanwhile, 20th Century Fox Television issued a statement that the studio has not yet decided whether to suspend or fire Smollett, who plays Jamal Lyon, the son of music mogul Lucious Lyon, in light of his arrest.
Chicago police told a press conference yesterday that Smollett is suspected of paying two brothers to stage the attack on himself.
He is also accused of sending a racist letter to himself at a Fox studio before staging the attack.
If convicted, Smollett could be sentenced to three years in prison and made to pay for the cost of the police investigation.
