Jussie Smollett says that he spent $3 Million to clear his name in the Chicago 2019 hoax hate crime case.
In a recent interview with Entertainment Tonight, the former “Empire” star continues to maintain his innocence and is fighting to ensure that the truth of what took place on that fateful night will finally come out and avoid being labeled a felon.
“I want to have all of these things in my life, and I don’t want to have a felony on my record for something that I didn’t do,” Smollett said. “That’s what we’re fighting for. I know that on the surface it probably seems like why doesn’t he just serve the time, why doesn’t he just let this go. It would be easier if I had in fact done this to say that I did it. I wouldn’t have spent almost $3 million of my own money. I wouldn’t have had a trial.”
“But as a human being and as a man, as a Black man and as an openly gay Black man, I have a problem with letting them win on something they shouldn’t be able to. I’m a grown man and something happened. I can’t tell exactly what did happen, but I can tell you what did not happen,” the actor explained. “That’s what I have to sit on. No matter how much people are yelling in my face, saying ‘You’re a liar, you’re a liar.’ No, I’m not, No, I’m not. I don’t want them to believe that, but if that is what they believe, that’s on you.”
‘Good morning America’ interview:
Smollett admitted that there are “a million things” that he would have changed in his handling of the incident including his interview with Robin Roberts on Good Morning America.
“I wish I hadn’t done the interview,” Smollett said. “I never wanted to, I watched it, and I was mortified.”
Last year, Smollett reportedly checked himself into a rehabilitation facility to deal with his substance abuse issues.
“I’ve wanted to do it for a number of years. And to be quite honest, I was told that I couldn’t,” Smollett shared.
Throughout the entire ordeal, Smollett claims that he’s never changed his story about the night in question although he was found guilty on five counts of felony disorderly conduct for making false reports about a fake racist, homophobic crime.
“I’ve stood by, not my truth but the truth for the entire time, almost six years,” Smollett said. “I haven’t switched my story up- I haven’t changed anything that I ever said. I stand by every single thing that I’ve ever said. Everyone else in the situation, every single person, has changed their story numerous times.”
Along with fighting to clear his name, Smollett is promoting his new film The Lost Holliday, which he stars in, directed, co-wrote, and produced.
Also starring Vivica Fox, the film was released in selected theaters on September 27, 2024.
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