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Jussie Smollett turned up on the red carpet of the 22nd annual BET Awards on Sunday night, marking his Hollywood return three months after he was released from prison.
An appeals court ordered the release of the disgraced 40-year-old from Chicago’s Cook County Jail on March 16 after only serving six days of a 150-day sentence for five counts of felony disorderly conduct.
And while Jussie’s case remains on appeal – he decided to make his return to the red carpet, where he spoke to press at Los Angeles’Â Microsoft Theater about his directorial debut with the BET+ original movie B-Boy Blues.
Audacity: Eyebrows raised as convicted hate crime hoaxer Jussie Smollett turned up on the red carpet of the 22nd annual BET Awards, which was held at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on Sunday
Outrage: An appeals court ordered the release of the disgraced 40-year-old from Chicago’s Cook County Jail on March 16 after only serving six days of a 150-day sentence for five counts of felony disorderly conduct
Smollett – who was nominated for best actor at the 2015 BET Awards – smiled for the cameras while looking smart in a beige blazer and brown trousers.
‘I never thought of myself as working my way back into Hollywood,’ the NoCal native told ET on Sunday, referring to his new venture as a director
‘This has always been the plan, to expand my empire, so to speak. To expand the level of what I want to do. I got to direct multiple episodes of the show as well as my music videos, I directed all of them.
‘But to be able to usher in just a new generation of artists of actors of this amazing talent that’s out there that has so much to tell you. That’s what is feeding me.’
Taking the plunge: And while Jussie’s case remains on appeal – he decided to showcase his chest hair by wearing a white tank top beneath a beige blazer, brown pleated pants, and black loafers
Glam: Smollett – who was nominated for best actor at the 2015 BET Awards – accessorized with gold jewelry and had his curly locks coiffed by hairstylist Parris Wagner before the ceremony
The NoCal native told ET on Sunday:Â ‘I never thought of myself as working my way back into Hollywood. This has always been the plan, to expand my empire, so to speak’
Teasing new song: Jussie went on to thank his supporters (mostly family and friends) and revealed he was ‘absolutely’ going to release ‘very, very good music very soon’
Starring, Timothy Richardson, Ledisi, Brandee Evans, Heather B, Marquise Vilson, Jabari Redd, Broderick Hunter and Thomas Mackie, B-Boy Blues is the film adaptation of James Earl Hardy’s novel by the same name.
Jussie went on to thank his supporters (mostly family and friends) and revealed he was ‘absolutely’ going to release ‘very, very good music very soon.’
It didn’t take long for Smollett to start trending on Twitter as BET Awards viewers roasted him with a Photoshopped picture of him holding a Subway bag and a meme reading: ‘A lie is a lie no matter how Smollet is.’
‘Not Jussie smollet trying to get this black card reinstated #BETAwards #redcarpet,’ Twitter user @iMjustkinji wrote.
‘Who let Jussie Smollet into the #BETAwards?’ Twitter user @BabaBla47602512 asked.
It didn’t take long for Smollett to start trending on Twitter as BET Awards viewers roasted him with a Photoshopped picture of him holding a Subway bag and a meme reading: ‘A lie is a lie no matter how Smollet is’
‘This ***** faked a hate crime and blamed white people for it, and got a slap on the wrist. If you got money, regardless of race, you have privilege.’
Twitter user @Tryan1975 wrote: ‘Somebody alert the authorities! Jussie Smollett’s attacker was just seen live on the red carpet at the BET Awards. #BETAwards #BETawards2022.’
Once safely inside the venue, the self-described ‘gay Tupac’ took his seat next to Brandee Evans, who played Michi in his feature directorial debut B-Boy Blues that dropped June 9 on BET+.
‘God, these random cuts to Jussie Smollett really make me uncomfortable,’ Twitter user @sleepymaserati wrote.
Promoting his movie: Once safely inside the venue, the self-described ‘gay Tupac’ took his seat next to Brandee Evans (R), who played Michi in his feature directorial debut B-Boy Blues that dropped June 9 on BET+Â
Twitter user @sleepymaserati wrote: ‘God, these random cuts to Jussie Smollett really make me uncomfortable. Like… We just out here pretending his situation didn’t happen? #BETAwards #BETawards2022’
‘Like… We just out here pretending his situation didn’t happen? #BETAwards #BETawards2022.’
Twitter user @EfeDeMorientes posted a face palm emoji captioned: ‘Jussie Smollett sittin in the front row at the @BETMusic #BETAwards.’
Even BET Awards host Taraji P. Henson was roasted over her fervent, vocal support of Jussie with one user tweeting: ‘Sis how as bout bringing it down a notch! We know you already extra for saying #JussieSmollett was innocent but this loud in our face ghetto act ain’t helping none of us! #BETAwards.’
The 51-year-old Oscar nominee famously played Loretha ‘Cookie’ Lyon, the mother of Smollett’s character Jamal Lyon in Fox’s Empire from 2015-2020.
Even BET Awards host Taraji P. Henson was roasted over her fervent, vocal support of Jussie
Family:Â The 51-year-old Oscar nominee (L) famously played Loretha ‘Cookie’ Lyon, the mother of Smollett’s character Jamal Lyon in Fox’s Empire from 2015-2020
When the Might Ducks alum Instastoried about how much he ‘loved’ Taraji on Saturday, she replied: ‘I love you more baby!’
When the Might Ducks alum Instastoried about how much he ‘loved’ Taraji on Saturday, she replied: ‘I love you more baby!’Â
Jussie has maintained his innocence over not faking his alleged racist and homophobic attack on January 29, 2019.
Smollett swears he was attacked by two Trump supporters despite his former personal trainers – the Osundairo Brothers – testifying in court that he hired them to pour bleach on him and put a noose around his neck in order to boost his celebrity profile.
‘I am innocent!’ Jussie has maintained his innocence over not faking his alleged racist and homophobic attack on January 29, 2019
‘This is MAGA country’: Smollett swears he was attacked by two Trump supporters despite his former personal trainers – the Osundairo Brothers (pictured December 2) – testifying in court that he hired them to pour bleach on him and put a noose around his neck in order to boost his celebrity profile
‘I am not suicidal!’Â The Daytime Emmy Award nominee was also fined $25K, ordered to pay $120,106 in restitution to the city of Chicago, and he was given 30 months of felony probation
The Daytime Emmy Award nominee was also fined $25K, ordered to pay $120,106 in restitution to the city of Chicago, and he was given 30 months of felony probation.
‘My entire career, but much more importantly, my entire life, along with my family, represented social justice. It’s like finding out that someone is exactly the opposite of who they claim to be.
‘If I had done this, I’d be a piece of s***. And I don’t think that’s really questionable,’ Jussie said on Sway In the Morning last Tuesday.
‘If I had done something like this, it would mean that I stuck my fist in the pain of black African Americans in this country for over 400 years.
‘It would mean that I stuck my fist in the fears of the LGBTQ community all over the world. I am not that motherf***er. Never have been. Don’t need to be.’
Jussie said on Sway In The Morning last Tuesday:Â ‘My entire career, but much more importantly, my entire life, along with my family, represented social justice. It’s like finding out that someone is exactly the opposite of who they claim to be. If I had done this, I’d be a piece of s***. And I don’t think that’s really questionable’
Smollett added:Â ‘If I had done something like this, it would mean that I stuck my fist in the pain of black African Americans in this country for over 400 years. It would mean that I stuck my fist in the fears of the LGBTQ community all over the world. I am not that motherf***er. Never have been. Don’t need to be’
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