Former ‘Empire’ Star Jussie Smollett Says He Hasn’t ‘Lied About a Thing’

Jussie Smollett spoke out about claims he faked an attack in January in a response to a new social media post comparing him to a girl claiming she was attacked by white classmates. The actor was famously written out of hit Fox series Empire after being caught in a legal scandal when he was accused of filing a false police report after he alleged he was attacked by two men yelling racist and homophobic slurs at him in Chicago back in January.

Internet personality Derrick Jackson posted a comment on an Instagram post comparing the former Empire actor to Amari Allen, a girl who claimed three white classmates pinned her down and cut off her dreadlocks before later retracting her statements.

“Jussie really is a trendsetter,” Jackson wrote in the Instagram post, first captured by The Daily Mail.

Smollett responded to the social media personality’s comment an hour later with a lengthy comment.

“With all due respect brother, y’all can clown me all you want, [but] my story has actually never changed and I haven’t lied about a thing,” Smollett wrote, maintaining his innocence as he has since all charges filed against him were dropped in March.

“Y’all can continue to be misinformed, internalized sheep, who believe what actual prevent liars feed you or you can read the actual docs,” the actor added. “Either way, Imma be alright.

“I know me and what happened. You don’t. So carry on. All love,” he ended his response.

This marks one of the first times Smollett has addressed the controversy on social media. The actor has been laying low since news broke Empire producers are not planning for the actor to reprise his role as Jamal Lyon in the final season of the Fox musical drama. His contract was extended for the season ahead of the announcement Season 6 would be the show’s last, with co-creator Lee Daniels later revealing on Twitter Smollett would not return for the show’s final season.

The Season 6 premiere explained Jamal’s absence with a conversation between Cookie (Taraji P. Henson) and Becky (Gabourey Sidibe), revealing Jamal and his husband had moved back to London full time to get away from the family drama surrounding Lucious (Terrence Howard) becoming a fugitive.

Despite the drama, some fans were upset during last week’s season premiere expressing how much they missed the character of Jamal on the show. With the contract extension, there is always a possibility Smollett might make a surprise appearance at some point in the final season.

Empire airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET on Fox.