#Empire creators Lee Daniels and Danny Strong tell me no S2 episode order yet, but they'd prefer to keep it smaller, 13-16, rather than 22+.
— Lesley Goldberg (@Snoodit) January 18, 2015"Our world is not one color." People want to watch shows that reflect our world. #Empire #TCA15
— Danielle Turchiano (@danielletbd) January 18, 2015"We named him Lucious for a reason." Danny Strong on building #Empire around a violent, homophobic, murderer #TCA15
— Jarett Wieselman (@JarettSays) January 18, 2015"It's taking mythical archetypes and turning it into a modern day soap opera," Strong. #Empire #TCA15
— Danielle Turchiano (@danielletbd) January 18, 2015Strong says #Empire is based on King Lear and the Lion in Winter in fundamental ways but not a remake by any means. #TCA15
— Danielle Turchiano (@danielletbd) January 18, 2015Francie Calfo says Cookie will get her groove back (you know what that means!) more than once. #Empire #TCA15
— Danielle Turchiano (@danielletbd) January 18, 2015Lucious won't make it easy for Cookie to move on. Neither will her emotions: she's in love with him. #Empire #TCA15
— Danielle Turchiano (@danielletbd) January 18, 2015"Life is a soap opera all the way around," Daniels. #Empire #TCA15
— Danielle Turchiano (@danielletbd) January 18, 2015Trai Byers says Andre and Rhonda are puppetmasters for chaos in the family so he can rise to the top. #Empire #TCA15
— Danielle Turchiano (@danielletbd) January 18, 2015Smollett says this opportunity is rare. "If they can look at [#Empire] and see themselves in Jamal, that's a gift." #TCA15
— Danielle Turchiano (@danielletbd) January 18, 2015Henson says Cookie is not loud for the sake of being loud. Everything she says comes from reality and love. #Empire #TCA15
— Danielle Turchiano (@danielletbd) January 18, 2015Lee Daniels on the gay storyline on #Empire: Homophobia is rampant in the African American community. Wants to address that on show. #tca15
— TV Guide Magazine (@TVGuideMagazine) January 18, 2015Terrence Howard on #Empire highlighting homophobia: "We're trying to give people an opportunity to see what they're doing is painful" #tca15
— TV Guide Magazine (@TVGuideMagazine) January 18, 2015Lee Daniels: "If my father were alive today I think he would have evolved." #tca15 #Empire
— TV Guide Magazine (@TVGuideMagazine) January 18, 2015Howard says homophobia on #Empire reflects how real African-American people are treating their sons, nephews #TCA15
— TV Guide (@TVGuide) January 18, 2015#Empire's Smollett says Cookie is "fly... Somebody going to want that Cookie!" #TCA15
— TV Guide (@TVGuide) January 18, 2015Danny Strong: We wanted to infuse this soap with social issues. #Empire #Fox #TCA15
— Debra Birnbaum (@debrabirnbaum) January 18, 2015"Yes [Lucious] is homophobic, yes he's a murderer, but he's human. I love him. "-- Lee Daniels #Empire #TCA15
— TV Guide (@TVGuide) January 18, 2015Cookie is driven by love over power, Taraji P. Henson says. #Empire #TCA15
— Jarett Wieselman (@JarettSays) January 18, 2015Is Cookie driven more by power or by love? Taraji P. Henson: "Love. Everything she does is for her boys and her family." #Empire #Fox #TCA15
— TV Guide Magazine (@TVGuideMagazine) January 18, 2015#Empire doesn't shy away from being called a soap opera. Lee Daniels & Taraji P. Henson miss Dynasty, cat fights, fashions, etc. #TCA15
— TV Guide (@TVGuide) January 18, 2015#Empire's Lee Daniels: "God bless #Fox for being so bold. Who would have thought they'd let me on the air?" #TCA15
— TV Guide Magazine (@TVGuideMagazine) January 18, 2015Musicians will come on #Empire as themselves, but also in roles written for them (like Courtney Love). #Empire #Fox #TCA15
— TV Guide Magazine (@TVGuideMagazine) January 18, 2015Andre Lyon may not sing, but @JustTrai does! #Facts #FOXTCA #TCA15 #empire
— Empire (@EmpireFOX) January 18, 2015"It'd be stupid not to," Terrence Howard says of doing an #Empire crossover with #AmericanIdol. #tca15
— TV Guide Magazine (@TVGuideMagazine) January 18, 2015#Empire's Smollett says if gay youth see themselves in Jamal, "it's incredible, that's dope. I embrace that fully." #TCA15
— TV Guide (@TVGuide) January 18, 2015#Empire's Taraji P. Henson: As an artist I never want to do safe work. Art can save a life, art can change a life... I don't run #TCA15
— TV Guide (@TVGuide) January 18, 2015#Empire's Taraji P. Henson says she knew Cookie would upset a lot of people: "As an artist I don't ever want to do safe work." #Fox #TCA15
— TV Guide Magazine (@TVGuideMagazine) January 18, 2015Lee Daniels was thinking about approaching Wesley Snipes for #Empire, but Taraji P. Henson said she'd do it with Terrence Howard. #tca15
— TV Guide Magazine (@TVGuideMagazine) January 18, 2015#Empire's @TherealTaraji: My dad is my Cookie. You either loved him or hated him. He spoke the truth all the time #TCA15
— TV Guide (@TVGuide) January 18, 2015
Great panel, Empire has been a great surprise so far.
ReplyDeleteI have no intention of watching the show since it portrays homophobia in such vivid manner & will continue to do so,as a gay person-i can't watch it even it's a good show.
ReplyDeleteBut good for FOX to get their hands on another bona fide hit this season besides Gotham.Congratulations to all of it's fans since we all know early renewal is such a rare gift in TV world!Enjoy!
FOX will not be happy with a shorter episode order.
ReplyDeleteIf it eases your pain over it, know that the homophobia is absolutely portrayed as wrong. The pilot had me in tears four times over flashbacks to the gay brother and the way his father treated him - and conversely how his mother, for all her flaws, accepted him and loved unconditionally. She is his champion. It really is beautifully done so far. So even if you don't watch it, know that the show is without a doubt unmasking homophobia as it is. And showing quite clearly how much the father has missed out on because of his letting that homophobia come between him and his son.
ReplyDeletethat's your choice of course but my niece who's a lesbian... loves it.... I don't want to get to much into family business but her father can't except her for who she is but my sister.. loves her unconditionally for who she is....
ReplyDeleteI'll be happier with a shorter season,lol!
ReplyDeletet's good that they want it to keep the show at 13 or 16 episodes. It's better that way
ReplyDeleteThank you.That helps a bit!
ReplyDelete