"I'm not fully healed yet," said Smollett, who is black and openly gay, "but I'm going to be, and I'm gonna stand strong with y'all." I couldn't let those (expletives) win," he said to screams and cheers from the packed room of about 400 people. Chicago police also said Smollett has been cooperative and they have found no reason to think he's not being genuine. The series has allowed Smollett to play, sing and occasionally write music in addition to acting. "To be honest, as his big brother, I wanted him to sit this one out," Joel Smollett Jr. said.

Source: ABC News February 03, 2019 06:37 UTC