#TEAMEMPIRE!: Jussie Smollett -- “I Am A Gay Man,” But I haven’t ruled Out Being With A Woman
“Empire” breakout star Jussie Smollet went from being known as Jurnee Smollett-Bell’s brother into a bonafide star in the last year. When “Empire” hit primetime television, it instantly transformed into a hit series on the FOX network, breaking records week after week.
On the show, Jussie plays Jamal Lyon, the gay middle son of a Hip Hop family empire who yearns to become a big superstar. Once folks learned Jussie’s character was gay, everyone was wondering…Is he gay in real life too?
With so much speculation surrounding his sexuality, Jussie decided to address it on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” last March, saying he was never in a closet and that he preferred to keep his personal life private.
"I was ready to talk about it,” Jussie told OUT magazine. “She [Ellen] told me, ‘You don’t have to.’ I will be forever grateful to Ellen for the kindness she showed me. And that made me want to talk about it.”
In the newst issue of OUT magazine, he opens up like never before and is totally transparant about his sexual life.
“I am a gay man with an extremely open heart,” he says, easy and assured until he’s asked to elaborate on what that means to him. “God, I’ve never had to talk about this, so I’m trying to find the words. If I had to label myself, I would label myself as a gay man. With that said, I believe that love is the only thing that matters, and I would hope that anybody would leave themselves open — not to gender, but to love. "
Jussie then reveals he hasn’t completely ruled out women. He said if he happens to fall in love with a woman, then he’s going to be with that woman.
“I would hope that people would not close themselves off from what could be if, lo and behold, you meet somebody that just sweeps you off your feet, and you just can’t do anything about it,” he said. “If we truly believe that we are born this way, then why do we try to stifle the way we were born? If I fall in love down the road with a woman, I’m going to love that woman.”
Oh? Well he went on to say,
“But this is a conversation that deserves to be had, because we don’t all understand each other. You’re not going to tell me that loving someone is wrong. That does not mean that heterosexuality is not very real. It does not mean that bisexuality is not very real. It does not mean that homosexuality is not very real. They are all very real. But what I’m saying is, I am a gay man. I am a gay man. I am a gay man. I don’t know how many times I have to say that.”
As far as his coming out, he had tons of support from his real family and also his on-screen family. Golden Globe winner Taraji P. Henson offered up some advice to Jussie, straight talk, no chaser.
“She said, ‘Who gives a fuck? I don’t tell these motherfuckers that I’m straight. Why the fuck do you have to tell them that you’re gay?’ That was so O.G., and it just made me love her even more.”
Loves her! In the interview, Jussie noted was dating a guy, whom he called a “wonderful person,” over the past year, but it seems they may have called it quits. He said,
“I have way too much love to give not to find my baby for life, but I don’t think now is the time.”
The 32-year-old actor ended the interview with another gem saying,
“I don’t believe that we were created to hate. I believe that we were created only to love. Love is the root of the happiest of times and of wars. Love, or lack of love — but love is the root of everything.”
You can check out his full interview over at OUT magazine. "Empire" will take over our televisions once again in March. Who's ready?
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