Actor Jussie Smollett maintained his innocence during his first interview in almost two years.
Smollett claimed it has been “frustrating” to stay “quiet” after being accused of filing a false police report in an interview with former CNN commentator Marc Lamont Hill shared on Instagram. Smollett had first claimed he was a victim of a racially charged attack in Chicago in January of 2019.
Brothers Abel and Ola Osundario later told police that Smollett paid them $3,500 to attack him. Since, Smollett was hit with charges which were dropped by prosecutor Kim Foxx. He was later charged again with six counts of felony disorderly conduct by a special prosecutor assigned to the case.
“What happened in these last two years, it has humbled me in a way that nobody could possibly understand,” Smollett said in the interview. “Out of all these jokers in this entire situation, I am the only human being who has not changed his story one time.” (RELATED: Jussie Smollett Pleads Not Guilty To Second Round Of Disorderly Conduct Charges)
“There would be no reason for me to do something like this,” he added. “There would be no reason for me to do something foolish… and I do think that if you look at all of the things that were happening for me, and then for all of the opportunities and all of the money… whatever, that I have lost at this point, if in fact what they said was true, the smart thing to do would be to admit that. At least there would be a place to work back from. This is bullsh*t. It’s bullsh*t.”
Smollett claimed it had been “frustrating” to not be able to tell his side of the story. ”
“It’s been frustrating to say the least,” Smollett said. “It’s been frustrating. It’s been beyond frustrating because to be somebody that’s so outspoken, to be somebody that speaks up for so much and speaks up about so many things, it’s been difficult to kinda be, you know, quiet.”
“To not be able to say all of the things that you want to say, to not be able to yell from the rooftop because, I don’t think that people realize I’ve just been wrapped up in some form of a case for the last… approaching, in just a couple months, two years,” Smollett continued.