The sixth and final season of the Fox musical drama Empire has continued on without the inclusion of Jussie Smollett, who played Jamal Lyon. However, in an interview with TV Line, showrunner Brett Mahoney revealed that discussions are underway for a possible Smollett return.
“It would be weird in my mind to end this family show and this family drama of which he was such a significant part of without seeing him,” Mahoney said. “It’s fair to say it’s being discussed, but there’s no plan as of yet to bring him back. There’s been no decision made.”
For those unfamiliar, Smollett was written out at the end of the fifth season following accusations of filing a false police report. The report claimed he was the victim of a racist and homophobic attack in Chicago in January. Charges were eventually dropped against Smollett in March.
Empire‘s midseason finale aired on Tuesday, December 17, 2019.
