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Daniels: ‘Pain and anger’ around ‘Empire’ in recent weeks

Mar 21, 2019 | 8:31 AM

LOS ANGELES — “Empire” co-creator and executive producer Lee Daniels says the weeks since cast member Jussie Smollett was arrested and charged with fabricating a racist and homophobic attack have been “a freakin’ rollercoaster.”

In an Instagram video that doesn’t refer to Smollett by name, Daniels says since “the incident” he and his cast have “experienced pain and anger and sadness and frustration and really don’t know how to deal with it.”

Daniels had been among the first to voice his support for Smollett after he made the report in January.