Celebrities Are Rallying Around Actor Jussie Smollett After He Was Attacked In A Suspected Hate Crime

Actor Jussie Smollett, who plays Jamal Lyon in the hit TV show Empire, was attacked and beaten yesterday in what police suspect was a hate crime.

Late on Monday night, Jussie arrived in Chicago (where the show is shot) and headed out at around 2am for food. He was approached by two men in ski masks who shouted racial and homophobic slurs at him before beating him, pouring an “unknown chemical substance” on him and wrapping a rope around his neck.

The actor took himself to the nearest hospital, where police say he is in good condition, and that the incident is being investigated as a possible hate crime.

TMZ reported that the attackers shouted “This is MAGA country” as they fled the scene – ‘MAGA’ stands for ‘Make America Great Again’, Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign slogan.

The cast and crew of Empire have shared their support for Jussie following the attack, with co-creator Lee Daniels posting an emotional video saying:

Jussie, you are my son. You didn’t deserve nor anybody deservers to have a noose put around your neck, to have bleach thrown on you, to be called ‘f****t n***a’ or whatever they said to you. You are better than that. We are better than that.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BtOrBBmH6GK/?utm_source=ig_embed

Other celebrities to pay tribute to Jussie include John Legend, Janet Jackson, Naomi Campbell, and Cher:

Sending love to Jussie and the Smollett family after this horrific attack. We support you and pray that you find peace and justice.

— John Legend (@johnlegend) January 29, 2019

sending u my love 💜🙏🏾 pic.twitter.com/9dHEphO8BQ

— Janet Jackson (@JanetJackson) January 29, 2019

https://www.instagram.com/p/BtO5OSXntTE/?utm_source=ig_embed

Standing with and sending love to @JussieSmollett today… this is a racist hate crime and is disgusting and shameful to our country 😔#WeLoveJussie

— KATY PERRY (@katyperry) January 29, 2019

This is heartbreaking and terrifying…please pay attention to what’s happening here. Sending all my love to @JussieSmollett https://t.co/YTJ6bwLDkZ

— Zendaya (@Zendaya) January 29, 2019

https://www.instagram.com/p/BtO3A9OhFOG/?utm_source=ig_embed

Jussie Smollett,’Empire' Actor, Reportedly Attacked In Possible Hate Crime.NPR. VILLAINY, RACISM,HOMOPHOBIA, PROMOTED BY MOST INFAMOUS 🤡IN 🌎,IS THE POISON THAT KILLS🇺🇸.WHITE ONLY IS NOT RIGHT.🇺🇸 IS PPL OF COLOR.🙏🏻GOP GOES DOWN WITH SHIP djt
https://t.co/egSweOPhlO

— Cher (@cher) January 30, 2019

Jussie came out as gay on Ellen DeGeneres’ TV show in 2015, after his character on Empire had a coming out storyline. He said: “There is, without a doubt, no closet that I’ve ever been in and I just wanted to make that clear.”

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