Jussie Smollett is heading back to television, returning to Fox more than six years after the hate crime hoax that derailed his acting career.
The former Empire star has joined the cast of Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test, a reality competition show that puts celebrities through grueling military-style challenges. The show’s fourth season premieres September 25, and Smollett is one of 14 new cast members, which include reality TV personalities, athletes, and actors.
He shared the news on his social media, writing in the caption, “It was at this moment I said… ‘I should’ve just done The Masked Singer.’ 😂 #SpecialForcesFOX September 25th on @Fox @realityclubfox. Let’s get it. 🦾”
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Smollett’s return to Fox marks a full-circle moment, given that Empire, the series that made him a household name, also aired on the network. But this comeback is far from ordinary. It follows years of legal drama, public backlash, and intense scrutiny stemming from his widely publicized 2019 claim that he had been the victim of a racist and homophobic attack in Chicago.
Police later determined the incident had been staged, leading to a messy legal saga. Smollett was convicted in 2021 on five counts of felony disorderly conduct for lying to the police. He was sentenced to jail and probation, but in late 2024, the Illinois Supreme Court overturned the conviction, citing violations of his due process rights. The decision did not declare him innocent but threw out the conviction based on procedural grounds.
Earlier this year, Smollett reached a civil settlement with the City of Chicago, donating $60,000 to two community organizations, $50,000 to a local arts center, and $10,000 to a torture justice nonprofit. He also returned to Instagram, defending his innocence and vowing to move forward despite lingering doubts from critics and the public.
Now, Smollett is putting himself in the spotlight in a completely different way. Special Forces throws celebrities into physically punishing tasks inspired by military training, things like jumping from helicopters, surviving freezing water drills, and navigating through simulated combat scenarios.
The show is known for its intensity and its no-frills approach, with contestants often pushed to their mental and physical breaking points. Smollett will be joined by names like Teresa Giudice, her daughter Gia Giudice, Olympian Shawn Johnson East, and former NFL wide receiver Eric Decker.
Smollett hasn’t spoken publicly about why he chose this show as his reentry into the entertainment world, but the format suggests a desire to rebrand himself through endurance, humility, and perhaps redemption. Whether audiences will accept him remains to be seen, but Fox’s decision to cast him signals that some doors in Hollywood may still be open.
Despite the legal victory that overturned his conviction, special prosecutor Dan Webb has made it clear that he stands by the jury’s original verdict. “Today’s ruling has nothing to do with Mr. Smollett’s innocence,” Webb said in a statement after the decision. That tension between legal technicalities and public perception continues to hang over Smollett’s story.
Still, the 42-year-old actor appears ready to take on the physical challenges of Special Forces—and whatever comes with being back in the public eye.
