‘Empire’ Renewed for Season 6, But There Are “No Plans” for Jussie Smollett’s Character to Return

After weeks of uncertainty, Fox drama Empire has finally been renewed for a sixth season, but there’s still one major question hanging over the show: will embattled star Jussie Smollett return as Jamal Lyon? On Tuesday, Fox Entertainment and 20th Century Fox TV addressed the Smollett question in a joint statement, saying, “There are no plans for the character of Jamal to return to Empire.” However, Smollett has not been definitively cut from Empire quite yet: the studio has extended the actor’s contract through Season 6, which means that there’s still a chance Jamal could return later in the season.

“By mutual agreement, the studio has negotiated an extension to Jussie Smollett’s contract for season six, but at this time there are no plans for the character of Jamal to return to Empire,” reads Fox Entertainment and 20th Century Fox TV’s joint statement.

Late Tuesday, a representative for Smollett told TheWrap that the actor is “grateful” for the flexibility the contract renewal provides. “We’ve been told that Jussie will not be on Empire in the beginning of the season but he appreciates they have extended his contract to keep Jamal’s future open,” said Smollett’s rep. “Most importantly he is grateful to Fox and Empire leadership, cast, crew and fans for their unwavering support.”

In February, Smollett was removed from the final two episodes of Empire Season 5 after Chicago authorities accused him of staging his January 29 attack, which he claimed was motivated by racism and homophobia. The Cook County District Attorney charged him with 16 counts of lying to the police, but on March 26, all charges were dropped. Smollett has maintained his innocence since police first accused him of staging the attack, and after prosecutors dropped the charges, his lawyers said, “Jussie is relieved to have this situation behind him and is very much looking forward to getting back to focusing on his family, friends and career.”

Smollett’s final Season 5 episode, “Never Doubt I Love,” featured the wedding of his character and Kai (Toby Onwumere), a pivotal moment that made history as the first black, gay wedding to air on TV. The episode aired last Wednesday, April 25.

The final two episodes in Empire Season 5 will air today, May 1, and Wednesday, May 8. Empire airs Wednesday at 8/7c on Fox.

Where to stream Empire