Meanwhile, Empire fans are in for a sexy treat this month. Actors Jussie Smollett (Jamal Lyon), Bryshere Gray (Hakeem Lyon) and Trai Byers (Andre Lyon) are baring their chiseled man-chests on the cover of Essence magazine with three solo images and one fine-lookin‘ group shot. And yes fellas and ladies, in case you were wondering: they are all looking good enough to eat. In the issue, Smollett chats about being open to the world about his sexuality “If I can help someone else feel less alone, no matter what they’re going through, I’m happy to have that opportunity,” he said.
Smollett also dishes on how he got to play the groundbreaking part of Jamal Lyon, admitting that he had to hop into director Lee Daniels’ DM’s to do it. “I jumped on Instagram and direct messaged Lee and said, ‘Sir, I know you get this all the time, but I’m a singer, actor, dancer, songwriter and musician. I am Jamal Lyon in more ways than one.'” If only it was that easy for all of us.
