(Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)
The show must go on. This past Tuesday, production trucks and other vehicles were seen in Streeterville, Chicago, the same area where former cast member, Jussie Smollett was allegedly attacked. Smollett claims that he was a victim of a hate crime in that area.
Several neighborhood residents posted pictures on Twitter of the filming notice and pictures of the crew outside of Smollett’s apartment. See posts below.
You know it’s a TV shoot when an NYPD car is parked in your Chicago neighborhood. Filming “Empire” scenes today. No Jussie Smollett, thank goodness. pic.twitter.com/6HfHXSaTHW
— Jack Modzelewski (@FHJackman) August 13, 2019
Filming scenes today for the Empire show in my Chicago neighborhood. Hundreds of crew and cast standing around waiting for the director to roll. Conspicuous NYPD police car parked for the scene — a little out of his jurisdiction. pic.twitter.com/LgyY3tOswY
— Jack Modzelewski (@JackKnifePR1) August 13, 2019
Empire is currently filming sixth and final season without Smollett, who played Jamal Lyon on the show since the beginning in 2015. In June, Lee Daniels the show’s co-creator said that Smollett would not be returning to the show. Back in January, Smollett told police that he was attacked by two men wearing masks, who beat him and tied a rope around his neck as they shouted out racial and homophobic slurs.
Smollett is currently being sued by the City of Chicago over this case.