5 Shocking Career Pivots: What Jussie Smollett Is Doing Now In Late 2025

The tumultuous legal battles and public scrutiny surrounding former Empire star Jussie Smollett have dominated headlines for years, but as of late 2025, the actor, director, and musician has decisively pivoted back to his creative career. After a six-year ordeal stemming from the alleged 2019 hate crime hoax, Smollett appears determined to redefine his public image and professional trajectory, focusing heavily on new music and directorial projects.

The most recent updates, including a major legal settlement and the upcoming release of a new album, confirm that Smollett is actively working to move past the controversy. This article breaks down the latest developments, from his legal status in May 2025 to his new creative works, providing a comprehensive look at what Jussie Smollett is doing now as of December 10, 2025, in his renewed quest for a comeback in Hollywood.

Jussie Smollett: A Complete Biography and Profile

Justin "Jussie" Langston Mikha Smollett is an American actor, director, and singer, best known for his role as Jamal Lyon on the Fox musical drama series Empire. Born into a prominent family of performers, his career began decades before the controversy that would define his later years.

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• Full Name: Justin "Jussie" Langston Mikha Smollett
• Date of Birth: June 21, 1982 or 1983
• Place of Birth: Santa Rosa, California, U.S.
• Parents: Joel Smollett (Father, Jewish) and Janet Smollett (Mother, African-American)
• Siblings: Five siblings, including actors Jake Smollett and Jurnee Smollett
• Early Career Highlights:
  • Film debut in The Mighty Ducks (1992)
  • Co-starred with his siblings in the ABC sitcom On Our Own (1994–1995)
  • Appeared in the film North (1994)
• Breakout Role: Jamal Lyon in Empire (2015–2019)
• Occupation: Actor, Director, Singer, Songwriter

1. A Major Legal Chapter Closes with Charitable Payment

The most significant recent update in Jussie Smollett's life concerns the final resolution of his long-running legal issues. After years of court battles and public disputes, the actor reached a settlement in a key lawsuit related to the 2019 incident in Chicago.

In May 2025, Smollett finalized an agreement that required him to pay a substantial charitable sum in exchange for the lawsuit being dropped. This settlement is widely reported to have brought his six-year legal ordeal to a close. While the conviction itself has been a subject of ongoing legal debate, with reports of it being overturned by the Illinois Supreme Court, the May 2025 agreement marks a clear effort by Smollett to put the entire matter behind him and fully focus on his professional comeback.

As part of the resolution, Smollett was set to make a $50,000 donation to Chicago arts and abuse victim organizations, demonstrating a commitment to giving back to the community he was accused of misleading.

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2. The Return to Music: Sophomore Album Break Out

With the legal drama subsiding, Smollett has made a definitive return to his music career. He officially signed a deal with Rowdy Records and is preparing to release his highly anticipated sophomore album.

The new album, titled Break Out, is scheduled for release in September 2025. This project follows his 2018 debut album, and its title, Break Out, is seen by many as a symbolic statement about his struggle to move beyond the controversy and reclaim his narrative. The album is a major component of his professional comeback, signaling his intention to be recognized once again as a creative force in the music industry.

3. Feature Directorial Debut with B-Boy Blues

Jussie Smollett has successfully transitioned his focus from acting to working behind the camera, making his feature directorial debut with the film B-Boy Blues. This project marks a significant milestone in his career, showcasing his skills as a filmmaker.

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The film is an adaptation of James Earl Hardy's best-selling 1994 novel of the same name, which explores themes within the black LGBTQ+ community. The movie, produced by Mona Scott-Young, premiered on BET+ in June 2022, shortly after his legal sentencing, demonstrating his commitment to his craft even during the most difficult periods. While the premiere date is not current, the film's success and existence are key entities in understanding his post-Empire career trajectory and his new role as a director.

4. New Acting Roles and Media Projects

Despite the challenges, Smollett has secured new acting roles, indicating that his career in front of the camera is not over. He was featured in the film The Lost Holliday, which represents his first acting role since his departure from Empire.

In a twist of fate, the controversy itself has become the subject of a major media project. A new Netflix documentary, titled The Truth About Jussie Smollett?, is set for release in August 2025. Directed by Gagan Rehill and produced by Raw TV, this documentary revisits the 2019 incident, promising to shed light on allegedly missing pieces of evidence and offering a deep dive into the years-long legal battle. The release of this documentary ensures that the Jussie Smollett story remains a topic of high public interest throughout late 2025.

5. Rebuilding a Reputation and Future Outlook

Smollett's current activities—the legal settlement, the new album Break Out, and his directorial work on B-Boy Blues—all point toward a single goal: rebuilding his reputation and professional life. His strategy involves shifting his focus entirely to his creative output as a musician and filmmaker.

The actor, who rose to fame as Jamal Lyon, a gay musician on Empire, is now leveraging his multifaceted talents to make a comeback. By pursuing projects like B-Boy Blues, which focuses on black LGBTQ+ narratives, he is also reinforcing his identity as an artist committed to diverse storytelling. While the public remains divided on the events of 2019, Jussie Smollett is clearly determined to move forward, using the second half of 2025 as the launching pad for the next phase of his career. He is actively seeking ways to move past the "hate crime hoax" label and be recognized for his work as a director and recording artist.