Empire’s Jussie Smollett Opens Up About Being a Gay Icon
By Paul Chi
“Darling, there’s nothing I cannot make. I make the best macaroni and cheese that you will ever have in your life.” Photo: Nicholas Hunt/PatrickMcMullan.com.
Jussie Smollett—the breakout singer-actor who plays Terrence Howard and Taraji P. Henson’s gay son Jamal Lyon on the smash FOX series Empire—is causing quite a stir with his soulful and introspective performance. Not only is he receiving thunderous praise from both critics and audiences, but he is being lauded for impacting the lives of many gay viewers.
We caught up with Smollett, 31, at the New York premiere of The Divergent Series: Insurgent on Monday, where he spoke candidly about whirlwind life. Here are five things to know about the charming and multi-talented performer.
1. He realized he was famous when he went to the mall.
“I recently went to the Grove [an outdoor shopping center in Los Angeles] and it literally was a mob scene,” he said. “It was unbelievable that people recognized me. It was kind of crazy, but everyone who has come up has been really sweet. They say they love Empire and some say they are really moved and inspired by the show. That feels hella good!” Smollett also shared that his portrayal of gay man whose father can’t accept him has helped fans who are struggling with their own parents. “I received a letter from a kid that said Jamal gave him the courage to come out to his parents. It touched me deeply and it’s an honor to help people.”
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2. His status as a sex symbol makes him blush.
Smollett’s heartfelt singing and alluring personality is causing heart palpitations for many fans and has thrusted him to heartthrob territory. But all the swooning makes him “quiver in my soles,” he said. “But it’s very sweet and I am humbled by it. I’m just enjoying my moment on Empire and just taking it all in. I wake up every day the same man just wanting to work hard and do the best work that I can do.”
3. He hopes to be a positive role beyond the LGBT community.
Last week Smolett publicly spoke about his sexuality for the first time in an interview with Ellen DeGeneres. Rather than focusing on that, though, the star hopes to use his new fame to inspire others to be honest. “I feel a responsibility, but do not feel pressure,” he said when asked about being a gay man in Hollywood. “There is a responsibility for me as a man, as a man of color, as an artist to be myself and make things that reflect me and that are true. That’s what matters. It’s about all of us, not a particular group of people. I hope to make an impact on society and the world and as a human being, that’s what’s real and what I want to do.”
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4. He sings, dances and is also a master chef.
“I’m a very inviting guy and I like to cook a lot. My mom is from New Orleans, so I feel like I’m a Southern boy at heart and there’s always cooking. You can always come to my house and I will cook for you.”
What’s his best dish? “Darling, there’s nothing I cannot make,” he said proudly. “I make the best macaroni and cheese that you will ever have in your life and I make a mean gumbo. It’s mean!”
5. His guilty pleasure is singing show tunes—especially from The Sound of Music.
“It’s so embarrassing, but the song I love to sing is “Sixteen Going on Seventeen” from The Sound of Music,” Smollett revealed. “I love that it’s so theatrical and the lyrics are so fun. I can sing the guy’s part and I can sing the girls part. I never get sick of it.”
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