Taraji P. Henson returns — without the bathrobe — as the character that we love: Cookie. The spring premiere of “Empire” kicks off right here on 7, Wednesday night, and Deco’s own Cookie lover Chris Van Vliet sat down with the cast for a sneak peek of what’s in store.
It’s been exactly three and a half months since “Empire” last graced our television screens, but the Lyons are back from hibernation. I know lions don’t technically hibernate, bears do, but it sounded good, OK?
“Empire” is back, and in typical “Empire” fashion, the drama is kicked into high gear.
Jussie Smollett: “This episode is interesting because it’s almost like a standalone episode itself, if you will.”
Hmmm, what could that mean? Well, according to Taraji P. Henson, this episode is deadly.
Taraji P. Henson: “Somebody has to die, a couple people actually, because they could be fatal to the empire.”
Jussie Smollett just hopes the person that dies isn’t his character, Jamal.
Jussie Smollett: “I always go into the writers’ room before every season starts, and I have a meeting with them to just talk to them about what’s gonna happen with Jamal, and I’m always like, ‘Are you going to kill him? Are you going to kill him?’ Let me know so that I can get rid of my lease on my apartment in Chicago.”
Jussie Smollett (as Jamal Lyon): “I ain’t wanna kill nobody, but I did.”
Now that they’ve been together for four seasons, the Lyon family is tight — both on the show and behind the scenes.
Terrence Howard: “It’s hard for me to see them as anything but my sons. So that’s the secret recipe that works for us — we are a true family unit.”
Jussie Smollett: “There’s a lot of our own reality that somehow seeps into the show, and the writers kind of take certain elements from our own life and put it into the show.”
And fans feel like they’re part of this empire, too.
Taraji P. Henson: “I will be Cookie until the end of time. I don’t care what, I gave them Katherine, they will not call me Katherine Johnson — I am now Cookie.”
Filming for this season just wrapped up, so what’s next?
Jussie Smollett: “I’m coming to Miami because I need the heat.”
Jussie, Taraji, Terrence and the entire “Empire” gang return Wednesday night at 8 p.m., right after Deco here on 7.
And Thursday, we’ve got more Taraji for you! She’ll be in Miami with Tyler Perry for their new movie “Acrimony,” and guess who’s talking to them? We’ll give you a hint — he wears fun socks.
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