Jussie Smollett Revisits Attack Allegations In New Netflix Documentary

Six years aft claiming that he was nan unfortunate of a dislike crime, character Jussie Smollett is continuing to push backmost against nan communicative put distant by Chicago officials that it was each a "hoax."

In "The Truth About Jussie Smollett?", a caller Netflix documentary that debuts Thursday, nan erstwhile "Empire" prima revisits nan ineligible conflict surrounding nan alleged attack, which constabulary and metropolis officials said he orchestrated against himself.

While nan documentary’s merchandise comes conscionable complete 3 months aft Smollett and nan metropolis of Chicago reached a civilian settlement, nan character spends overmuch of his question and reply segments defending himself and maintaining his innocence.

"At nan extremity of nan day, it doesn’t matter whether personification likes maine aliases doesn’t for illustration me," Smollett said successful nan documentary, adding that "the truth is: I didn’t do that. And that’s each that matters."

Smollett, who is Black and gay, first reported a dislike crime committed against him successful January 2019, alleging that 2 men confronted him pinch group and homophobic slurs, wrapped a statement astir his neck, and poured bleach connected him.

However, metropolis officials sued Smollett and accused him of submitting a mendacious constabulary study connected Jan. 29, 2019, saying he knew his attackers and planned nan attack. The city's suit sought $130,000 successful expenses spent connected nan constabulary investigation. Smollett countersued, denying that he orchestrated nan attack.

Brothers Olabingo and Abimbola Osundairo, who worked connected nan "Empire" group and authored a book titled "Bigger Than Jussie: The Disturbing Need for a Modern-Day Lynching," said they were paid by Smollett to shape nan dislike crime and testified against nan character during his trial.

In summation to Smollett, nan documentary features interviews with: Smollett’s attorney; erstwhile Chicago constabulary officials; nan Osundairo brothers; their attorney; and journalists who covered nan case.

"I judge he wanted to beryllium nan poster boy of activism for Black people, for cheery people, for marginalized people," "Bola" Osundairo said of Smollett successful nan documentary.

"Ola" Osundairo said erstwhile Smollett asked them to "beat him up," he "thought it was crazy." "But astatine nan aforesaid time, I’m like, ‘It’s Hollywood.’ This is really it goes," he said successful nan documentary.

Smollett was recovered blameworthy connected 5 criminal counts of felony disorderly behaviour successful December 2021 and sentenced to 150 days successful jailhouse and 30 months’ probation successful March 2022. But nan Illinois Supreme Court overturned nan condemnation successful November 2024.

The authorities precocious tribunal ruled that Smollett should person ne'er been charged successful nan first spot aft entering a nonprosecution statement pinch nan Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office.

The years-long lawsuit captivated nan country, pinch galore speculating astir what really happened arsenic Smollett continued to make headlines.

In nan documentary, Smollett said he was "playing whack-a-mole pinch rumors, pinch lies" passim nan investigation.

But, "at a definite point, it’s excessively many, and you can’t drawback them all," he added.

The documentary, which is from nan producers of “The Tinder Swindler,” says successful its promotional materials that it wants nan “audience to determine for themselves who is telling” nan truth.

Smollett has not commented connected nan documentary connected his societal media. He gave a lengthy question and reply to Variety up of its release, successful which he touched connected nan wide effect nan lawsuit had connected him.

"Every azygous different person’s communicative has changed aggregate times. Mine has never," Smollett told nan publication. "I saw firsthand really narratives are built. I saw firsthand nan measurement that personification tin return nan nonstop other of who you are and virtually waste it."

The character is presently promoting his caller R&B medium and was precocious announced arsenic a contestant connected nan reality show, “Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test.” The show airs connected Fox, the aforesaid web that canceled “Empire” successful nan aftermath of nan Smollett saga.