Jussie Smollett admitted it is "wonderful" to be working again.
Jussie Smollett at the BET Awards
The 'Empire' actor was sentenced to 150 days jail and 30 months of felony probation in March, three months after he was found guilty on five of six counts of disorderly conduct for allegedly staging a racist and homophobic attack on himself, but he is currently out on bond while his legal team work on an appeal and he's happy to be on set and directing BET+ movie 'B-Boy Blues'.
Speaking on the red carpet at the BET Awards at Los Angeles' Microsoft Theater on Sunday (26.06.22), Jussie insisted he "never thought of himself as working [his] way back" but admitted it was "wonderful" to be working.
He added: "This has always been the plan, to expand my empire, so to speak.
"To expand the level of what I want to do... to be able to usher in a new generation of artists and actors and these amazing talents."
The former 'Empire' star has denied any wrongdoing and thanked all his fans for their unwaivering support.
He said: "I tell them, with all my heart, just thank you. They never waivered, they never straddled the fence, and for that I am forever grateful. I don't take that lightly for a moment.
"My family, my friends, the true ones, if I never get to hug you in person, know that there's a hug in my heart that I genuinely mean."
Jussie spent just six days in jail before being released on bond and he recently revealed he starved himself throughout in order to gain "clarity".
He said: "I was there for six and a half days. I fasted for six and a half days. I was fasting because that's what we do in my family. Like we fast for clarity... I have never in my life, at least in my adult life, been as clear of mind as I was for those six and a half days... I was fasting until I found out whether or not I was gonna be in there for those five and a half months. I just wanted to know what my life was about to look like."
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