The network behind the series “Empire” said it is weighing its options after actor Jussie Smollett was arrested and charged with filing a false report about a hate crime.
“We understand the seriousness of this matter and we respect the legal process,” 20th Century Fox and Fox Entertainment said in a statement Thursday. “We are evaluating the situation and we are considering our options.”
Fox had previously stood behind the actor amid reports that he may have faked the attack because he was being written off the show.
“Jussie Smollett continues to be a consummate professional on set and as we have previously stated, he is not being written out of the show,” the network said Wednesday.
Chicago police arrested Smollett early Thursday morning. He faces a felony charge of disorderly conduct after he filed a police report claiming he was attacked by two men Jan. 29 in Chicago. Smollett, who is black and gay, claimed the men yelled racist and homophobic slurs, tied a rope around his neck, and poured bleach on him.
Police also said Smollett had sent a threatening letter to himself. When the letter did not garner enough attention, he orchestrated the attack and paid two brothers to carry it out.
The brothers told police that Smollett had been upset about his salary on the Fox series. Smollett made $65,000 per episode in the most recent season of “Empire,” according to HuffPost.
