Who is Jussie Smollett and was the Empire actor attacked in hate crime in Chicago?

EMPIRE actor Jussie Smollett was accused in 2019 by Chicago Police who said he paid two men to attack him in a bid to boost his career.

The actor was taken to the hospital at 2am on January 29, 2019, after he claimed he was attacked by two masked men shouting racial and homophobic slurs and "This is MAGA (Make America Great Again) country!"

Who is Jussie Smollett?

is best known for his portrayal of musician Jamal Lyon in the Fox hip-hop musical drama series Empire. Smollett has also appeared in Ridley Scott's science fiction film Alien: Covenant as Ricks and in Marshall as Langston Hughes.

He began his career as a child actor in 1987 starring in commercials and films, including The Mighty Ducks in 1992 and Rob Reiner's North in 1994.

Jussie came out as gay in March 2015 during an appearance on The Show.

Was the Empire star attacked in Chicago?

Jussie Smollett was taken to the hospital in , at 2am on January 29, 2019, after two men allegedly attacked him in what he called a hate crime.

Smollett claimed his attackers hit him in the face, poured an "unknown chemical substance" on him, and wrapped a rope around his neck before fleeing,  but after interviewing the two alleged attackers, Nigerian brothers Abimbola 'Abel' and Olabinjo 'Ola' Osundairo, police said, "the trajectory of the investigation" had changed.

They then wanted to reinterview Smollett for a follow-up — but the actor's lawyers said he felt "victimized" by reports that he may have been involved in the attack.

"Nothing is further from the truth and anyone claiming otherwise is lying," a statement from law firm Todd Pugh and Victor P Henderson said.

Chicago Police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said, "We can confirm that the information received from the individuals questioned by police earlier in the Empire case has in fact shifted the trajectory of the investigation."

Did Jussie Smollett stage the attack?

Police said Smollett had paid two friends to carry out the “attack," and detectives suggested he staged the elaborate assault to boost his career.

Chicago Police announced Smollett had been charged with disorderly conduct and filing a false police report on February 20, 2019, and he was arrested the following day.

Police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said on Twitter, " by @CookCountySAO against Jussie Smollett for Disorderly Conduct / Filing a False Police Report.

"Detectives will make contact with his legal team to negotiate a reasonable surrender for his arrest."

Guglielmi added, "Jussie Smollet is under arrest and in custody of detectives."

Responding to the charge, Smollett's lawyers Todd Pugh and Victor Henderson said they planned to mount an "aggressive defense," and they claimed Smollett paid two men $3,500 to get him in shape for a music video, and not to stage a racially motivated attack.