Jussie Smollett is an American actor, filmmaker, and singer born on June 21, 1982. He is best known for his role as Jamal Lyon in the Fox drama series "Empire," which he played from 2015 to 2019. Smollett gained international attention in January 2019 when he reported being the victim of a hate crime in Chicago. However, police investigations later concluded that he had staged the attack with help from two acquaintances. Smollett was initially charged with filing a false police report but the charges were dropped in 2019 after he completed community service and forfeited a $10,000 bond. He was re-indicted in 2020, convicted on five counts related to the false report in December 2021, and sentenced to jail in March 2022. He served six days before being released. In 2024, the Illinois Supreme Court reversed his conviction based on fulfillment of the plea agreement made in 2019. Since the incident, he has maintained his innocence. Smollett has continued his career with directing projects and music, including a recent album release and participation in a reality competition in 2025. A Netflix documentary titled "The Truth About Jussie Smollett?" explores the years-long legal battle and the incident deeply, with new interviews and footage.

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