Jussie Smollett Insists He Didn’t Stage Attack To Further His Career [Video]

Jussie Smollett still maintains his innocence, no matter how many people refuse to believe his attack claims.

The former “Empire” star joined Wednesday’s episode of Sway In the Morning on SiriusXM, where he promoted his new movie and discussed the backlash he received from his controversial attack and court case. He maintained his innocence but admitted that he was not thrilled about speaking with Good Morning America’s Robin Roberts about the ordeal.

“I didn’t wanna do an interview,” Smollett shared, saying that he preferred to respond via social media, though his team felt his approach was “too angry” and “defensive.” The 40-year-old went through with the now-famous sit-down to clear his name. Smollett says he didn’t watch the interview until it was played in court at his trial last year. The disgraced actor said seeing the interview “mortified” him.

“Every single word that I said in that interview was the truth, but there was a certain level of performative nature that came from it because I didn’t want to be there,” he shared.

Smollett was found guilty of staging a hate crime, claiming that Trump supporters placed a noose around his neck and poured bleach on him. In actuality, he orchestrated the incident. Earlier this year, he was sentenced to 150 days in a Chicago jail but was released after just six days. He is appealing his conviction. Authorities believe Smollett concocted the story to further his career, a claim he refutes.

“I was on the up and up,” he insists.

Nevertheless, Smollett is ready to put the case behind him with the release of his new film, “B-Boy Blues,” which was funded by fellow “Empire” actress and supporter Taraji P. Henson.