Jussie Smollett is an American actor and singer, best known for his role as Jamal Lyon on the television series Empire. Born on June 21, 1982, in Santa Rosa, California, he began his career in the entertainment industry at a young age, appearing in various television shows and films. In January 2019, Smollett reported being the victim of a hate crime in Chicago, claiming he was attacked by two men who used racial and homophobic slurs. However, the incident later led to legal controversies, including charges of filing a false police report, which resulted in a highly publicized trial.