*Jussie Smollett has reportedly entered an outpatient rehab facility to work on getting his life together after an “extremely difficult” few years since his hate crime case in Chicago.
“Jussie has had an extremely difficult past few years. He has quietly been working very hard for some time now and we are proud of him for taking these necessary steps,” a rep for the actor said in a statement to TMZ.
Smollett’s rep added: “He has quietly been working very hard for some time now and we are proud of him for taking these necessary steps.”
It’s not clear what kind of treatment Smollett is receiving at the facility but during his hate crime trial in Chicago, drug abuse was mentioned throughout the proceedings, according to The Daily Beast.
A jury found the former “Empire” star guilty of lying to Chicago police about being the victim of a homophobic attack in 2019. An appeal in the case resulted in Smollett being released from jail shortly after sentencing.
Osundairo Brothers Say They’re Skeptical of Jussie Smollett Entering Rehab | Click to read more 👇 https://t.co/75XjFyPWAM
— TMZ (@TMZ) October 20, 2023
We reported previously that during the sentencing hearing, Judge James Linn chastised and shamed Smollett, called him a liar, and accused him of committing purgery during his own testimony. The judge also noted that Smollett’s ego and narcissism led to him masterminding the hate crime.
Smollett addressed the trial last year on “Sway in the Morning”, claiming he did not lie about the attack.
“If I had done this, I’d be a piece of s–t. And I don’t think that’s really questionable,” Smollett said in the episode aired on Monday, Page Six reported.
“If I had done something like this, it would mean that I stuck my fist in the pain of black African Americans in this country for over 400 years,” he told Sway.
“It would mean that I stuck my fist in the fears of the LGBTQ community all over the world. I am not that motherf—er. Never have been. Don’t need to be,” he added.
Smollett said he used his short stint in a Cook County jail to “reset and regain clarity” by fasting.
READ MORE: Jussie Smollett Talks Hate Crime Case, Says ‘I’m ‘not A Piece Of S***!’ | Video
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