Allegedly Jussie Smollet, a well-known actor due to his role in the Empire series on Fox, has been accused of faking a hate crime. Smollet claimed he was physically attacked and called racial/homophobic slurs by Trump supporters, also known as MAGA (Make America Great Again) supporters because he is an openly gay black man. According to the New York Times hate crimes have been on the rise for the past three years and three out of five hate crimes have been due to race. This made the case of Jussie Smollet more believable and pulled on many people’s heartstrings- until Smollet’s case was uncovered and the details from what he claimed happened didn’t match with the evidence.
Jussie Smollett has recently been awaiting trial for charges for a felony due to his false claims. Here is how some celebrities reacted to the news:
Clay Aiken
“I don’t want to rush to judgment — that said, if it bears out and the evidence shows that it’s proven in a court, that he did what the Chicago police are saying he’s done, I do hope that … we do make an example of him,”
Ellen Page
“The conversation around Jussie Smollett has led us all to examine hate violence and its implications and aftermath,” she wrote. “If this situation was staged, it could make victims even more reluctant to report these crimes.”
Some celebrities still stand by Smollet.
Tyler Perry
“Listen, he is so adamant about it and he is so convincing in his story that I’m hoping and standing with him, hoping that it all turns out in his favor, for sure,”
Terrence Howard
“The Jussie I know could never even conceive of something so unconscious and ugly. His innocence or judgment is not for any of us to decide. Stay in your lane and my lane is empathy and love and compassion for someone I’ve called my son for five years. It’s God’s job to judge and it’s ours to love and hope, especially for those that we claim to have loved.”