Jewish ‘Empire’ Star Ditches Oscars for #JusticeForFlint
Image by Getty Images
By Lior Zaltzman February 28, 2016
We already know everything about the Jewish stars at the Oscars, but one inspiring Jewish star is ditching the Academy Awards this years and spending the night in Flint, Michigan.
Jussie Smolett of smash-hit TV show “Empire,” will be joining “Creed” director Ryan Coogler, Ava DuVernay (“Selma”), Janelle Monae and many other artists in Flint, Michigan for “Justice For Flint,” a free event designed to raise money and awareness for the town’s water crisis.
The event will be hosted by comedian Hannibal Buress and live-streamed on revolt.tv. It will air at the same time as the 88th Academy Awards, where, for the second year in a row, no black actors are nominated.
Jussie Smollett is one of the more impressive and inspiring modern Jewish TV stars. The talented actor has been gracing our movie and TV screens since the early 90s but his real, colossal break-out was starring in the mega smash-hit “Empire,” a record breaking musical drama.
In the show, Smollett plays the gay son of the heads of “Empire Entertainment,” Luscious (Terrence Howard) and Cookie (Taraji P. Henson) Lyons. As musician Jamal Lyons, he is responsible for some of the show’s most catchy tunes.
But Smollett, the son of a Jewish father and African-American mother, is also an activist. He often shares politically charged posts on his widely followed social media accounts, and participates in different social justice campaigns and charities.
This Sunday night won’t be Smollett’s first time in Flint. He visited there last month and shared his love and support for the town on Instagram:
Earlier this week, Smollett serenaded the Obama’s as part of a tribute to singer Ray Charles.
In 2014, Smollett shared this picture of him lighting the Menorah with the hashtag “#Blewish” (Black and Jewish).
This is a moment of great uncertainty. Here’s what you can do about it.
We hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, we’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s independent Jewish news this Passover. All donations are being matched by the Forward Board - up to $100,000.
This is a moment of great uncertainty for the news media, for the Jewish people, and for our sacred democracy. It is a time of confusion and declining trust in public institutions. An era in which we need humans to report facts, conduct investigations that hold power to account, tell stories that matter and share honest discourse on all that divides us.
With no paywall or subscriptions, the Forward is entirely supported by readers like you. Every dollar you give this Passover is invested in the future of the Forward — and telling the American Jewish story fully and fairly.
The Forward doesn’t rely on funding from institutions like governments or your local Jewish federation. There are thousands of readers like you who give us $18 or $36 or $100 each month or year.
Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
