Actor and singer Jussie Smollett is one of the breakout stars of Fox's hit drama Empire, and while much of the buzz surrounding him has focused on his talents, there's also been plenty said about his sexuality.
Henson) battling his father's homophobia.
In real experience, Smollett's sexuality has been a topic of conversation, and now he's setting the record straight.
In an interview with Ellen DeGeneres conducted backstage at Ellen, he confirmed that he is gay and explained why he's never felt the need to speak his personal life.
"There's never been a closet. That I've been in. I don't own a closet, I got a dresser, but I don't own a closet, but I have a home and that is my responsibility to protect that residence. So that's why I choose not to converse about my personal being. But there is without a doubt, no closet that I've ever been in, and I just wanted to make that clear, but it was most important for me to make that transparent to you on your show at this period in the world. And that's where I'm at. So, let's not peruse into it in the wr
Empire's Jussie Smollett: I will always stand for love
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Empire actor Jussie Smollett's performed for the first time since his assault telling fans he'll always stand for love.
On stage, before singing, he fought back tears as he told fans: "I had to be here tonight, y'all. I can't grant [them] win."
Police are searching for two men who punched him, poured a "chemical substance" over him and put a rope around his neck in a suspected racist and homophobic attack.
"I have so many words on my heart," the year-old said after hugging his family.
"The most important thing I have to say is thank you so much and that I'm okay. I'm not fully healed yet, but I'm going to."
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The concert had been planned for a long time before the incident. His family and others had urged him to cancel the show while he recovers and police investigate.
But Jussie said he couldn't carry out that.
"I'm gonna stand tough with y'all. l will always stand for adore.
Jussie Smollett: Timeline of a hoax, jail time and an overturned conviction
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Jussie Smollett, the player accused of staging a hate crime hoax, has had his conviction overturned five years after he was first arrested.
In , the Empire star was sentenced to days in jail, and ordered to compensate a fine of $, (£,) for lying to the police about creature the victim of a hate crime.
He was found culpable of five charges in December over his false reports of being attacked in Chicago in
Now judges in Illinois have dominated that trial breached his rights and reversed the conclusion.
The story has taken quite a few twists and turns since it began.
Here's a occupied timeline of what's happened since January
29 January The alleged incident takes place
Fox
Chicago police tell they're investigating a suspected racist and homophobic attack of Jussie Smollett by two masked men which happened at about
They state the actor was punched in the face, had an "unknown chemical substance" poured on him and a rope wrapped around his neck.
Jussie Smollett tel
Jussie Smollett Opens Up About Organism Gay: "It Was a Bigger Deal to Everyone Than It Was for Me"
Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images for NAACP Image Awards
Let's get one thing straight: Jussie Smollett did not "come out" as gay earlier this week.
"There's never been a closet that I've been in," the hunky Empire star tells Variety in a new interview. "It was a bigger deal to everyone than it was for me. But at the same hour I do understand why it is something to talk about."
The year-old appeared on the Ellen DeGeneres Show the other night and opened up about his sexuality. "I didn't talk to Ellen so that people could, be like, ‘Oh my God, let's see what Jussie does in his bedroom in his private life.' But I did talk to her so that people understood that they're not alone. That's all," Smollett added.
On Monday, Smollett confirmed he is gay but made sure to state he's never denied it.
"Let's not read into it the wrong way when I state that I don't talk about my p