Jussie Smollett now has some new ish to worry about and it’s all because of his alleged hate crime situation in Chicago.
Specifically, his hate crime stunt looks to be the reason he’s out as the lead in the upcoming revival of the Broadway play Take Me Out.
The play’s originally run started in February, 2003 and had 355 performances. It also won a Tony Award for Best Play.
Fast forward to the present where Smollett, who is biracial and openly gay was supposed be the lead as Darren Lemming, a mixed-race professional baseball player at the peak of his career who decides to come out of the closet.
The stage drama sounds like it was ripped from current headlines as it looks at issues like homophobia, racism, classism and toxic masculinity in men’s sports.
Wow. Sounds like the perfect role for Smollett. Or at least it would’ve been.
The story goes that Smollett auditioned for the role back in January, just 12 hours before he allegedly staged the faux hate crime involving two Nigerian brothers, Olabinjo and Abimbola Osundairo.
The Chicago Police Dept. alleged that the 33-year-old actor was lying and that he staged the hoax to boost his celebrity profile.
A source tells DailyMail that Smollett had already won the role in the play.
“Everything was set to go and the producers were planning to announce that Jussie and Zachary Quinto were starring in the play last month,” said one Broadway insider.
“Everyone was so supportive after the attack and then suddenly, everything shifted.”
Another DailyMail source close to the play said the events involving Smollett left them in shock.
“Here is a kid who is on a hit television show, has made a name for himself, and gets the chance of a lifetime.”
And whether Empire is cancelled or not, it would’ve been a great transition vehicle for Smollett.
“He would have come off the sixth season of Empire and kicked off the next leg of his career with a role on Broadway. And not just that, the lead role in one of the best plays of the century in his Broadway debut.”
That source then wondered what a lot of people are thinking about the actor:
“Why on earth would someone throw that all away?”
The DailyMail did add that a source involved in the production would only say that no casting had been announced or confirmed at this time. That individual also confirmed that Smollett took part in a reading of the play in January.
There was also no response from Smollett’s crisis manager, so it’s yet to be seen if Smollett may still make his Broadway debut.
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