Could Jussie Smollett be heading back to Empire?

Yesterday Smollett’s character Jamal Lyon married his HIV-Positive boyfriend in groundbreaking scenes.

But due to the 36-year-old’s legal trouble, following his alleged hoax attack, his future on the show is heavily in doubt. However video obtained by DailyMail.com showed Smollett talking to one of the producers on Wednesday afternoon. 

The Show’s Numbers Continue To Tumble

Paparazzi spotted Smollett in New York City leaving French restaurant Lafayette with Brett Mahoney. Mahoney has served as the showrunner for the program’s fifth season.

But even if Smollett does get re-hired on Empire, the show’s numbers continued to tumble. 

According to Nielsen results, Smollett’s last episode showed a 1.1 rating in the key demo. That’s 3.8 million total viewers – well below the season’s average rating of 1.4. 

“An Emotional Rollercoaster”

Mahoney has served as the producer for shows such as CSI, The Following and Code Black. 

He spoke about the aftermath of Smollett’s alleged attack in an interview with EW last month.

“It’s been an emotional rollercoaster. You have someone in your family who’s going through this, while at the same time, we’re shooting the final episodes of the season, which are also just heightened emotionally,” explained Mahoney.

“So it was a lot to deal with and a lot to go through, but we’re really just focused on finishing strong. We’re in our last week of production and I’m really proud of the work we’ve done this season, and hopefully the fans will really engage with these back nine episodes.”

Smollett’s Co-Stars Have Come To His Defense > > >