Jussie Smollett is back on TV, so what actually happened to the Special Forces star?
He handed himself into the police in 2019
After a long time away from the spotlight, Jussie Smollett is making a return to television, and it’s raising plenty of questions. The Empire star, who hasn’t been seen much in recent years, is set to appear on Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test.
The show kicks off on September 25. And, as Jussie takes on a new challenge alongside Teresa Giudice, Eva Marcille and co, people are naturally wondering what he’s been up to. More importantly, folks are keen to find out what led to his absence in the first place. So, let’s get into it.
Jussie’s alleged hate crime explained
Jussie Smollett’s time away from the public eye is tied to a highly publicised and controversial event that occured in 2019.
The actor reported being the victim of a racially and homophobic-motivated attack in Chicago. However, authorities later alleged that the incident had been staged, leading to a legal battle that dominated headlines, per BBC.
In December 2021, Jussie was found guilty on five charges for making false reports about the attack.
The following year, he was sentenced to 150 days in jail and ordered to pay a $145,000 (£110,000) fine for lying to the police. At the time, the case significantly impacted his career. He appeared to step back from acting and public appearances.
However, the story didn’t end there. In a major legal twist, judges in Illinois later ruled that Jussie’s trial had breached his rights, and the previous convictions were reversed.
Now, he’s back on Special Forces
Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test is a pretty intense reality series where participants face extreme physical and mental challenges.
For Jussie, it seems to represent more than just a new project. It’s seemingly an opportunity to reconnect with audiences and show a different side of himself outside of scripted shows and media controversies.
The actor, who is also releasing his new album Breakout on September 30, described his experience on the show as “very sobering,” per People. He explained: “It’s not always easy to be vulnerable… And again, the physicality of this, again, we’re not athletes, but we’re athletic. So it’s different. It’s very intense.”
He added that the mental challenges were the toughest part.
“And so that, and getting through that was really special,” he said of the show, which sees a group of celebs shipped off to another country to participate in military-style challenges.
He concluded on a hopeful note: “So I hope that it’s the great equalizer and it’s also the great kind of reset of this is who I am and it’s all love.”
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