When Empire returns for season two, there will be a new Lyon leading the pack.
"He's going to be a very passionate leader," Jussie Smollett, who plays Jamal, told The Hollywood Reporter Friday at a Television Academy panel. "He's going to lead with his heart and sometimes that’s going to get him in trouble."
When the first-year phenomenon went off the air in March, Empire Records CEO Lucious (Terrence Howard) was put behind bars and his middle son was put in charge. However, the battle for control of the company is just getting started.
"If season one was who will inherit the throne, season two is warring kingdoms," said showrunner Ilene Chaiken.
One of those people fighting the hardest will be Cookie (Taraji P. Henson), who will return to her more ruthless beginnings when the show returns. "She's getting back to what she did when she built the empire," said Henson. "She's been tucked away for 17 years. Now she's been out for some time so you get to see the Cookie that actually built Empire back in the day, starting from nothing."
Despite her character's extremely close connection with Lucious at times during season, Cookie will embrace going solo for as long as she can. "She think it's good for her because women, we're always the brains behind the operations anyways," said Henson. "But at the core of who she is, she knows he won't be in there long. He has money, he has lawyers, he has people. Her thing is: how much I can accomplish before he gets out?"
"He's going to be a very passionate leader," Jussie Smollett, who plays Jamal, told The Hollywood Reporter Friday at a Television Academy panel. "He's going to lead with his heart and sometimes that’s going to get him in trouble."
When the first-year phenomenon went off the air in March, Empire Records CEO Lucious (Terrence Howard) was put behind bars and his middle son was put in charge. However, the battle for control of the company is just getting started.
"If season one was who will inherit the throne, season two is warring kingdoms," said showrunner Ilene Chaiken.
One of those people fighting the hardest will be Cookie (Taraji P. Henson), who will return to her more ruthless beginnings when the show returns. "She's getting back to what she did when she built the empire," said Henson. "She's been tucked away for 17 years. Now she's been out for some time so you get to see the Cookie that actually built Empire back in the day, starting from nothing."
Despite her character's extremely close connection with Lucious at times during season, Cookie will embrace going solo for as long as she can. "She think it's good for her because women, we're always the brains behind the operations anyways," said Henson. "But at the core of who she is, she knows he won't be in there long. He has money, he has lawyers, he has people. Her thing is: how much I can accomplish before he gets out?"
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