The now-hospitalized «Empire» actor’s brutal attack is being considered as a possible hate crime.
Empire creator Lee Daniels showed his support for actor Jussie Smollett after he was attacked on Tuesday. The Empire star previously revealed he was beaten by his father for identifying as gay. After the attack, which is being investigated by police as a possible hate crime, Daniels issued a statement via Instagram.
«You didn’t deserve nor anybody deserves to have a noose put around your neck, to have bleach thrown on you, to be called ‘die f**** n****’ or whatever they said to you,» he said. «You are better than that. We are better than that. America is better than that. It starts at home…. We have to love each other regardless of what sexual orientation we are because it shows we are united on a united front.
Smollett was traveling from New York to Chicago when two men wearing ski masks reportedly attacked him. He was treated at Northwestern Hospital and released later in the day.
