THIS ACTOR WAS EITHER A SURVIVOR OF A HORRIFIC ATTACK, OR PERFORMING HIS BIGGEST ROLE YET
When Jussie Smollett walked into a hospital in Chicago in the early hours of 29 January 2019, he had a horrific story to tell. Jussie, then 36, had been a child actor, but he’d been propelled into the limelight after starring in popular Fox TV series Empire. Playing a gay, black musician, he had a huge following, and was used to getting stopped in the street by fans asking for a selfie. Only, tonight, he’d been approached by two men as he munched on his Subway sandwich. Things had quickly turned sinister. The men were masked and they’d punched the actor in the face. Shockingly, they’d poured a chemical liquid over him and wrapped a rope around his neck like a noose. They had then shouted “Make America great again!” -which was the slogan used by the then-President Donald Trump and his supporters – before they both fled into the darkness.
CELEBRITY SUPPORT
Thankfully, Jussie’s injuries were minimal but the actor was shaken. Had he been targeted for his race or sexuality? That’s what he told the police when he reported the crime. When news of the attack reached social media, concerned fans and celebrities flooded the star with messages of support.
“We all have to take this racist and homophobic act of violence very personally! My arms are around you @Jussiesmollett. You are loved!” an emotional Oscar-winning actress, Viola Davies tweeted on Twitter.
Jussie also had messages of support from his co-stars, including supermodel Naomi Campbell. The police launched an investigation. Jussie had been on the phone to his manager during the attack, so they asked if they could go through his phone -but the actor refused. Conscious of his privacy, he said his device was filled with private messages, including voice notes for his songs and his famous castmates’ phone numbers. The police agreed they wouldn’t demand the phone.
“He’s a victim. We don’t treat him like a criminal,” a police spokesperson said.
Chicago Police stepped up their search, releasing a piece of CCTV footage of two men they wanted to speak to in relation to the incident.
“While the video does not capture an encounter, detectives are taking this development seriously and wish to question individuals, as more cameras are being reviewed,�
