EMPIRE INTERVIEW with Jussie Smollett and Bryshere “Yazz” Gray (Fox TV)

 Tinsel & Tine Got a Chance to be on a Conference Call with Two of the Lyon Brothers 

Jussie Smollett and Bryshere “Yazz” Gray

In the video the two actors talk about their reaction to their growing fan base; the brotherhood of Jamal & Hakeem; the scenes they found hardest to shoot. Jussie and Yazz the Greatest also talked a lot about being active in their communities, giving back. In fact, Angela Davis is Jussie’s godmother. But I had to keep the video short, so that’s not included.  I wanted to ask Yazz the Greatest (Hakeem) a Philly question, about possibly performing at Welcome America 4th of July concert on the Parkway, but time was short.

Are you happy about where your characters leave off in the season finale?

Yazz: I mean. I am. I’m definitely happy about where my character is.

Jussie: I’m excited. I’m excited because there’s so much more to come. The dope thing about Season 1 is that there are still questions to be answered –
Yazz Right.
Jussie – in Season 2. You know what I’m saying? I feel like Season 1 was the set up and then Season 2 will be, okay, let’s go back and let’s clean up all of the Lyons’ stuff, if you will. I’m very happy. I’m very excited for Jamal, where his journey has taken him, from beginning to now, and where it’s going to end up going.

Yazz: And we’re excited about Andre. Where he goes, he gets better and better. I feel like his story is real important and it grows and people can learn from his experiences. 

Jussie: Absolutely.

Snoop Dog everybody uncle 😂 #Empire
— ♀Angelic♀ (@SailingNOTSelln) March 19, 2015

Be sure to catch up with Season 2 of Empire each week!

 Season 1 Season Finale Recap

The back to back 2 hour Empire Season Finale – Die But Once (directed by Mario Van Peebles) & Who I Am (directed by Debbie Allen) were everything they said they’d be and more!!!

How about that cat fight between Cookie and Anika (Grace Gealey) aka Boo Boo Kitty! That 1-2 drink in face/punch Cookie threw, was done with a ghetto ninja quickness. But I gotta say Boo Boo Kitty gave almost as good as she got.

Drink and a punch! #EmpireFOX https://t.co/Yd6kAzj8Re
— キンバリー (@MouseMakesSushi) March 19, 2015

Of course the biggest news was Lucious finding out he was misdiagnosed and doesn’t have ALS – what he really has is treatable. I kinda figure when they gave Terrence Howard’s character ALS it was so an out could be written into his contract; I wonder if when the show blew up, he was like, you’ve gotta cure Lucious, I’m staying!

#TerrenceHoward is one of my favorite people in this entire world. #empire
— Jussie Smollett (@JussieSmollett) March 19, 2015

We’re all going to have Cookie withdrawal while we wait for season two. Taraji P. Henson has made an indelible character. Too bad Porsha slipped and let it be known Cookie went away with Malcolm; but didn’t she look fabulous in her snowy get away fur? Lucious should have just swallowed his jealousy on that score and not retaliated against Cookie by locking her out of the company. And how about how she found out she can’t even legally hold a seat on the Board of a publicly traded company as a convicted felon!?!   Lucious was all politeness and sweetness to Cookie’s sister Carol (Tasha Smith) but Carol still lives in North Philly, why didn’t he help a sistah out during the last 17 years? Carol could have helped raise the boys.

Okay so then Jamal talks Lucious into letting Cookie come back and still have her names in lights on the marquee of the Lucious Lyon farewell concert; but then the girl goes and tries to smother the man. Well, Lucious can’t deny he killed her kin (Bunky), he should be able to understand Cookie being mad enough to attempt murder. I don’t think she would have gone through with it, even it he didn’t stop her. That gift of the mini pillow he gave Cookie was priceless!

No offense to Trai Byers, but Andre is just the least likable character on Empire. Even when you should feel bad for him, you really don’t. Dre finding the Lord is a good thing, but when Lucious comes to the church and musically seduces Choir singer/Music Therapist Michelle (Jennifer Hudson, who should only sing and not have any lines. Click for T&T review on Black Nativity) with the offer of a Gospel album, you should hate Lucious and be sympathetic towards Dre losing the one thing that’s helping him hang on to his sanity – but I didn’t care. And when Rhonda (Kaitlin Doubleday) said she was leaving him, I was like, Good, leave his butt, he doesn’t deserve your support and care. I am going to miss Vernon (Malik Yoba) though, he didn’t deserve to go out like that.

R.i.p Uncle Vernon #EmpireFOX 😓
— #YTG ™ (@YazzTheGreatest) March 19, 2015

Hakeem has a cougar fetish. I didn’t like seeing him in bed with his almost stepmom.  But I was glad he gave Lucious a hard time for getting rid of Camilla, even if he did get popped in the mouth for being smart.

When you finally smash your step mom #EmpireFOX 😂 pic.twitter.com/5BPBuMUY0X
— Kyle (@thekillakay_) March 19, 2015

Jamal was given the scepter and the keys to the kingdom. There were some beautiful scenes between father & son.  Lucious finally was able to see Jamal as a man, with many talents and gifts.

All of Jussie Smollette’s scenes are electric, no matter who he’s acting with, whether he’s singing, taking care of business, or sex-ing someone up on a desk, he just has so much charisma and likability.

“See, the streets couldn’t defeat me – disease couldn’t stop me – even God can’t kill me” – Lucious Lyon/Dwight Walker

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