Jussie Smollet Reportedly Reveals Plans for ‘Empire’ Return

Jussie Smollett is getting ready to return to Empire following his brutal attack in Chicago.

The actor has remained silent since two masked individuals tied a rope around his neck and reportedly threw bleach on his face as they screamed racist and homophobic slurs early Tuesday morning, though sources say he will be back at work when the show returns from its polar vortex hiatus.

“As of now, Jussie plans to return to work when filming for his role picks up again,” a source told Entertainment Tonight.

They added that production being temporarily shut down because of the Chicago weather allowed Smollett to take some time to process “everything that happened” during the attack.

However, the actor and singer will not be slowing down, as he is scheduled to perform at the popular West Hollywood venue, the Troubadour, in Los Angeles on Saturday and has no intention to cancel the gig.

“Jussie is planning to perform a musical show this weekend in L.A. Jussie is strong,” the source added. “He knows that what happened to him is unfortunate, but he’s not going to let it get the best of him.

They continued: “He’s a fighter and will push through this, like everything else he has fought through in his life.”

Since reports surfaced that the attack might have been premeditated, Empire production will be supplying the entire cast with armed security as production on the show resumes. The news of the added security came from an emotional meeting between cast and crew on Tuesday following the attack.

FOX also reportedly provided counselors to those involved in production to talk about the hate crime and answer questions.

“The counselors will be there for as long as the cast and crew needs,” another source told the outlet. “Everyone processes trauma differently, and the network understands that. The pace of filming will be based on how everyone feels, and the network and people involved want to do whatever they can to make the cast and crew feel safe and supported.”

The investigation into the crime continues, as Chicago P.D. recently released a screenshot of a surveillance video featuring two persons of interest they hope to question in relation to the crime.

“While video does not capture an encounter, detectives are taking this development seriously & wish to question individuals as more cameras are being reviewed,” Chicago PD spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi wrote on Twitter Wednesday.