When it comes to lending a voice to the LGBTQ community, “Empire” star Jussie Smollett is getting right to the Point.
The artist will be the featured performer for The Point Foundation’s Point Honors Gala, to be held at The Plaza in Manhattan on April 9. The event will honor journalist Ronan Farrow and comedian Tig Notaro for their roles in shaping the modern LGBTQ landscape.
Smollett rose from promising artist to bonafide superstar thanks to his groundbreaking work on Fox’s music-drama “Empire.” The actor portrays Jamal Lyon, a gay musician struggling to navigate the music business and the disappointment of his mogul father (played by Terrence Howard). The series, now in its fourth season, not only was a smash in the ratings, but changed the way TV told stories about being black and gay in modern-day America.
“I was so afraid to tell the true story of what it’s like to walk in the shoes of a black man that’s gay in the music business, where it’s really shunned,” “Empire” creator Lee Daniels told Out Magazine in 2016. “Jussie has brought to life that character.”
Smollett — who just released his own album, “Sum Of My Music” — has been recognized with an NAACP Image Award for his civil rights activism.
Tickets for the Point Honors Gala — with benefits going toward scholarships for up-and-coming LGBTQ students — can be purchased at pointfoundation.org.
