Jussie Smollett is making a return to the Hollywood scene after his slew of legal troubles these past three and a half years.
At the BET Awards red carpet, the actor spoke with ET and opened up about his career comeback directing the BET+ original film B-Boy Blues. He shared that he “never thought of myself as working my way back” and called this chance to be back on set “wonderful.”
He said of working behind the camera to helm a project and directing other actors:
“This has always been the plan, to expand my empire, so to speak.
To expand the level of what I want to do… to be able to usher in a new generation of artists and actors and these amazing talents.”
Jussie’s directorial debut comes after his 150 day sentence and 30 months of felony probation in March, three months after he was found to be guilty on five of six counts of disorderly conduct for which the former Empire star was charged.
He also had a message for all those who believed in him and stood by him throughout his legal scandal as he vehemently declared his innocence:
“I tell them, with all my heart, just hank you. They never wavered, they never straddled the fence, and for that I am forever grateful. I don’t take that lightly for a moment.
My family, my friends, the true ones, if I never get to hug you in person, know that there’s a hug in my heart that I genuinely mean.”
