As a gamer who’s spent countless hours navigating the intricate worlds of RPGs and survival horror games, I can’t help but draw parallels between my virtual adventures and the real-life journey of Jussie Smollett and Lee Daniels.
Lee Daniels has made a name for himself by creating narratives centered around Black communities, ranging from “Precious” and “The Butler” to the groundbreaking TV show “Empire”, and his new film, “The Deliverance“, interestingly finds itself listed among both upcoming horror films and Netflix releases. Contrary to expectations, Jussie Smollett, who once played Jamal Lyon, will not be part of the cast, yet Daniels has expressed a willingness to collaborate with him again in the future despite the controversy surrounding his name.
Daniels recently dropped by The Breakfast Club radio show for a chat about his latest film project with Charlamagne tha God and Jess Hilarious. When asked about the current state of his relationship, five years after Smollett’s alleged hate crime claims were exposed as fabricated, leading to his arrest for false reporting, instead of evading the question, the director openly discussed his views on the matter, expressing:
We exchange texts with each other. He possesses a film that I suspect is about to be released; I haven’t watched it yet. Gosh, it’s intricate. It’s incredibly intricate. Existence can be so intricate. … That predicament is intricate. And I remain uncertain about the truth. Frankly, I’m unsure about the truth. They claim he was responsible, he wasn’t. May his path forward be blessed.
Jussie Smollett initially gained recognition for his roles in “The Mighty Ducks” and “On Our Own,” but it was under Lee Daniels and “Empire” that he transitioned into a prominent celebrity with an emerging music career. Unfortunately, his arrest and subsequent legal troubles tarnished much of this success, ultimately leading to Jamal’s dismissal from “Empire” as the series concluded its fifth season.
As a passionate gamer diving into role-playing scenarios, if given the chance, I’d be all for teaming up with Smollett once more in future projects. In fact, I might just take the casting director’s hat and make that call myself!
In the future, I plan to collaborate with him once more. Indeed, I would choose him for a role. He’s like my son to me. Moreover, he embodied the movement that I unknowingly initiated. I was so engrossed in ensuring Cookie’s hat and our music were just right that I didn’t realize I was setting a trend. This all took place before the emergence of shows like Insecure and Black Panther – we paved the way for them. However, I was so focused on getting everything perfect – was the prop phone correctly placed on set? – that I overlooked the cultural shift happening around me.
As a gamer, I’d put it like this: During the conversation, Charlamagne tha God didn’t share his personal views on Smollett, but he did bring up an interesting point. He noticed that Hollywood often extends more grace to scandal-hit white actors compared to their Black counterparts when it comes to a second chance. Kudos to Smollett for being an inspiration and breaking this pattern.
Currently, Smollett isn’t hiding away or anything like that. He reappeared under a more reserved limelight in 2022 with his directorial and writing debut of B-Boy Blues, which he also promoted at the BET Awards, discussing his plans for a return to public life.
In his latest endeavor, Smollet takes on both directing and co-writing duties with Jerrell Chesney for the drama titled “The Lost Holiday“. This time, he returns to acting as well, sharing screen time with fellow “Empire” alum Vivica A. Fox. The film is slated for a limited release on September 27, 2024, on the big screen.
As a devoted fan, I’m thrilled to share that starting this coming Thursday, August 30, Lee Daniels’ captivating series, “The Deliverance,” will be accessible for streaming, exclusively on Netflix!
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2024-08-20 17:41