By Kathia Woods | Special to The OBSERVER
A new documentary, “The Truth About Jussie Smollett?” investigates the 2019 claimed hate crime involving the former “Empire” star. Despite Smollett’s consistent recounting of the events, doubts about the incident remain.
The film, which was made by the producers of ‘The Tinder Swindler,’ includes interviews with police, lawyers, and authorities involved in the case, as well as journalists and “investigators who claim to have uncovered new evidence.” Smollett also appears in the documentary, which encourages viewers to draw their own judgments about the truth.
“The villains are the two people who assaulted me, the Chicago Police Department, and, if I may be so brave, the mayor,” Smollett says to Variety. He’s referencing Rahm Emanuel, who served as the city’s mayor from 2011 to 2019 and is the brother of Hollywood power broker Ari Emanuel.
On January 29, 2019, Smollett reported an attack to the Chicago police that occurred near his residence. He alleged that two men assaulted him, using racial and homophobic slurs, tying a noose around his neck, and pouring an unknown chemical substance on him. Initially, authorities investigated the incident as a hate crime.
The actor’s claims initially garnered sympathy, but public skepticism grew as more details emerged, severely impacting his career.
The legal proceedings that followed were intricate and multifaceted. In March 2019, Smollett was indicted on 16 counts of disorderly conduct; however, these charges were swiftly dropped, and he entered a plea of not guilty. Nevertheless, a grand jury re-indicted him the following year.
In December 2021, Smollett was found guilty of making false police reports to Chicago officers. The Illinois Supreme Court overturned this conviction last year due to prosecutorial issues.
In an interview with Variety released this week, Smollett discussed his public vilification.
“Every single other person’s story has changed multiple times. Mine has never,” Smollett said. “I saw firsthand how narratives are built. I saw how someone can sell the opposite of who you are.”
The documentary follows the actor’s recent attempt to revitalize his career. Smollett has recently concentrated on his music career, but he believes he can’t advance until he resolves this chapter. He will also be appearing on Fox’s “Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test” season 4, which will premiere on Fox in September. In the meantime, he’s signed a deal with Rowdy Records. Smollett’s lead single, titled “Break Out,” was released on August 12, and the full album is set to launch in late September. “The Lost Holiday,” a film that he directed, co-wrote, and produced, has been performing well on Tubi.
“The Truth About Jussie Smollett?” began streaming on Netflix on August the 22nd. The actor who came to prominence on the Fox hit show “Empire” claims that the Chicago political machine attempted to frame him. He still insists that he endured a hate crime, but the world was led to believe he faked it. Smollett wants to know why the Chicago P.D. and, more importantly, the former mayor Emanuel want to discredit him.
“Did they just learn about the missing tape and minutes from Laquan McDonald’s murder?” “Could it be that the former mayor helped conceal that information?” Smollett asks these questions while speaking to Tatiana Siegel for Variety. The case Smollett is referencing involves a Chicago police officer who fatally shot a Black teenager. This tragic incident led a federal judge to mandate that the Chicago Police Department implement numerous reforms, just two days after Smollett claimed he was assaulted.
“We’re living in a world where the higher-ups have a main mission: to distract us with their underhanded actions by using shiny objects,” he adds. (Rahm Emanuel declined comment on Smollett’s accusation.)
The incident halted Smollett’s career, and the legal back-and-forth placed it on life support. Despite this legal victory, his reputation had already suffered irreparable damage.
While it’s uncertain whether the documentary will ultimately close this difficult chapter in his life, Smollett is determined to move forward regardless.