He may have dodged criminal charges in the case against him, but that doesn't mean that Jussie Smollett isn't still facing a legal battle. It was in January 2019 when the actor told Chicago police that he was the victim of a racially-motivated, homophobic attack in the wee hours of the morning. A scandal would soon unravel with new twists at every turn. Two brothers, Abel and Ola Osundairo, were arrested and accused of being apart of a hoax created by Jussie himself, but Smollett has continued to refute the allegations that he staged the attack for recognition.
Still, the incident caused havoc in Jussie's life and soon, he was cut from the hit show Empire where he spent seasons portraying Jamal Lyon. While he's remained relatively silent about the event, the City of Chicago has filed a lawsuit against the actor because they claim he wasted resources. In a recent Instagram Live interview with Marc Lamont Hill, Jussie Smollett says his current state of affairs "has been beyond frustrating" and "difficult" as he tries to navigate life post-controversy.
"I've just been wrapped up in some form of the case approaching two years," he said. "Sometimes I wake up in the morning and I, you know, am so angry. There are other times I wake up and I can see the silver lining." TMZ shared a report that the City of Chicago has requested information from the FBI ahead of Smollett returning to court on Thursday (September 10). A court could end the legal drama within 24 hours, but Jussie Smollett isn't holding his breath.
“They won’t let this go," he said. "The sad part is that there is an example being made of someone who did not do what they’re being accused of.” Check out the hourlong chat with Smollett, Angela Davis, and Aislinn Pulley below.
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