FOX's new drama, Empire is all about the drama between Luscious Lyon (Terrence Howard), Cookie (Taraji P. Henson), and their three sons. In the pilot, at least, one son seemed to stand out as the main pawn in his parents' game: Jamal (Jussie Smollett), the gay son Luscious doesn't approve of, despite his obvious talent as a musician. But who is the actor behind this intriguing character with a choragic voice?
If you want to know more about this Empire hottie, you've come to the right place. Here are five must-know facts about Jussie Smollett.
1. He's had a long acting career. Jussie, who is 31, isn't exactly a megastar (yet!), but he's been in the acting biz since 1991. Some of his notable roles include Terry Hall in The Might Ducks, Mike on Cro, Jesse Jerrico on On Our Own, and Magnus in The Skinny. You might also recognize him from recent roles on The Mindy Project and Revenge.
2. He has an EP. Jesse's main career so far has been acting, but in 2012 he released an EP, The Poisoned Hearts Club. Once you hear him sing on Empire, you'll probably agree with us that he should release even more music, STAT!
3. He's from Brazil. Fun fact: Jussie was born in Santa Rosa, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. That's a bit different than his background on Empire!
4. He comes from an acting family. Jussie isn't the only actor in his fam. He has five sibs, Jojo, Jazz, Jurnee, Jake, and Jocqui, and they actually all starred together, as siblings, on the 1994 show On Our Own. How fun is that?
5. He's very passionate about social justice and philanthropy. "I want to get involved in philanthropy and social justice issues. That's something I'm passionate about, something my family has been involved in," Jussie explained in an interview with David Bridgeforth Quarterly Magazine. "My mother was a leader in the civil rights movement. One of my godparents is Angela Davis."
He doesn't just talk the talk. Jussie is very involved in charity work, and the Black AIDS Institute named him one of the 30 artists under 30 truly making a difference in the fight against HIV/AIDS. He is also on the board of Artists for a New South Africa, and gives support to the Jenesee Foundation, which is a shelter for battered woman.
What we're saying is he's hot, talented, and a great person!
Sent from my BlackBerry wireless device from MTN