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Jussie Smollett breaks social media silence with coronavirus post

Actor has pleaded not guilty to charges that he falsely reported an attack against himself

Clémence Michallon
Wednesday 25 March 2020 20:29 GMT
Jussie Smollett reemerges on social media

Jussie Smollett has returned to social media after several months of silence to post about the coronavirus pandemic.

The actor posted a video of himself on Instagram on Wednesday.

His most recent post before that dates back to June 2019.

The former Empire star is heard in the Instagram clip singing the 1966 tune “A Place in the Sun” by Stevie Wonder.

He joked in the accompanying caption that he’s on “quarantine day 421” – an apparent reference to his low profile of the past few months.

Reports that Smollett was the victim of a racist, homophobic attack in Chicago emerged in January 2019.

Smollett was later charged with falsely reporting the attack. The actor, who has maintained his innocence, pleaded not guilty and all charges were dropped in March 2019.

New charges were filed in February this year. Smollett has also pleaded not guilty. An attempt by his lawyers to get the charges thrown out was rejected earlier this month.

Empire is currently in its sixth and final season.

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