While Jussie Smollett is facing allegations of staging his hate crime attack last month, many have defaulted to either condemning the actor and singer or simply keeping their distance.
Recently, it was revealed that producers of Smollett’s Empire series would be cutting out his character, Jamal Lyon, for the final two episodes of season 5 with other rumors suggesting that Smollett will be recast altogether for season 6.
Notably, however, Smollett’s co-star and Empire star Terrence Howard is standing by his friend and coworker and took to Instagram to upload a clip of Smollett onboard a private jet with Howard while holding Howard’s baby boy, tickling the child and laughing with him in a warm moment. Attached to the clip is a caption that reads, “All your lil homies got you... We love the hell outta you.”
In the show, Howard takes on the role of Smollett’s TV father, Lucious Lyon, the fictional patriarch of music’s most influential family. While Jamal and Lucious have a particularly delicate relationship onscreen, it’s clear that Howard and Smollett’s camaraderie runs deep enough for Howard to support the 36-year-old despite such glaring accusations.
Currently, Smollett is out on a $100,000 bond after being charged with felony disorderly conduct for allegedly filing a false report. He has since been ordered to surrender his passport.