Jussie Smollettwas written out ofEmpirein a mere 20-second exchange on the show’s season 6 premiere, andTerrence Howardisn’t pleased.
The actor appeared onThe Late Late ShowwithJames CordenTuesday night — just hours after the episode aired — and opened up about missing Smollett and his character, Jamal Lyon, on the show.
“Jussie played my son, I mean the show kicked off because I took my four-year-old son and put him in the trash can because he had worn high heel shoes down the stairs,” Howard, who famously plays Lucious Lyon, recalled before describing the show’s heart-wrenching beginning storyline.
“I was so proud of that young man who played my son, because he still loved me at the end of it and all he wanted to do was get closer to me,” he added. “And out of nowhere he’s snatched away from us.”
In June, the show’s creator,Lee Daniels,confirmed that Smollett wouldnot be returningfor theseries’ last seasonafter the 37-year-old wasindicted with 16 counts of disorderly conductforallegedly filing a false reportclaimingtwo men attacked himin an apparent hate crime in Chicago in January.
At the time of his departure, Smollett’s character was at the center of the show’s plot-line as fans followed Jamal while he navigated his relationship and wedding day.
Terence Patrick/CBS
During Tuesday’s season premiere episode, the show addressed Smollett’s absence in a quick exchange between his former co-stars Taraji P. Henson (Cookie Lyon) and Gabourey Sidibe (Becky Williams), who played his mother and best friend respectively.
In the scene, Cookie pokes fun at Becky’s pajama set, who then tells Cookie that she and Jamal “used to wear these to our sleepovers all the time.”
“No wonder that boy ran off to London,” Cookie responds, to which Becky says, “I thought he was running away from Lyon drama. I really miss him.”
“Please don’t get me started. I miss him so much,” Cookie adds, before changing the subject.
While speaking to Corden, Howard said he wasn’t happy with how quickly Smollett’s character was omitted from the show, with no reference to Jamal’s father and Howard’s character.
“We are all still trying to put the pieces together because my son is gone,” he said. “My son. That was my little boy and he’s gone now and they don’t mention him as if it’s OK.”
On Sunday, Henson also admittedthat the cast misses their former co-starwhile speaking to PEOPLE ahead of the 2019Emmy Awards.
“We miss Jussie,” she said. “He’s family to us. There’s no way we can throw five years of family away. I miss him.”
Smollett had pleaded not guilty to allegations that he lied to police when he said he was attacked in what authorities later claimed was a staged incident to draw attention to himself. At the end of March, all charges against Smollett weredropped.
Jussie Smollett.Getty Images
And withSmollett’s absence, Henson revealed that the new season ofEmpirewill focus more on her own character.
“Cookie is finding herself,” Henson said. “It’s not about the empire any more. It’s not about Lucious anymore, it’s not about her kids. It’s about her. I think a lot of women will identify with that.”
Empireairs Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET on Fox.
source: people.com
