NEED TO KNOW
- Jussie Smollett has proposed to his boyfriend, Jabari Redd
- “I’ll be spending my birthday with my Fiancé… He said YES,” the former Empire star announced
- The pair costarred as a couple in Smollett’s sophomore directorial effort, 2024’s The Lost Holliday
Jussie Smollett is engaged!
On Friday, June 20, the former Empire star revealed that he popped the question to his boyfriend, Jabari Redd.
“I’ll be spending my birthday with my Fiancé… He said YES. 💍,” Smollett, who turns 43 on Saturday, June 21, captioned an Instagram carousel.
The series of photos showed a frame-by-frame timeline of how the B-Boy Blues director pulled off the proposal.
Tucked away on a street near a restaurant, Redd appeared pleasantly surprised as Smollett got down on one knee, also smiling. The next slide showed more of Redd’s reaction as he seemed to be yelling with happiness, lifting his hands toward his face.
The third photo showed Smollett officially placing a ring on his fiancé’s finger, and the fourth showed the newly-engaged couple hugging.
Two pictures that followed were filled with laughter, even a bit of champagne, and the announcement ended with a close-up image of the ring on Redd’s hand.
“Screaming with tears of joy! My whole heart loves both of you @jussiesmollett. Welcome to the family @jabariredd. ❤️❤️,” Smollett’s younger sister, actress Jurnee Smollett, commented.
His other sister, Jazz Smollett, added, “😝🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾I was WAITINGGGGGG!!!!!!😩😩🤦🏾♀️🤦🏾♀️🤦🏾♀️🤦🏾♀️🤭🤭🤭🤭 congratulations you 2‼️‼️ I pray blessings cover you as you’ve covered each other 🥹🥹🥹🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾😘😘😘😘😘.”
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Jussie’s famous friends also joined in on wishing him well.
“MY BABIES ❤️❤️❤️🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾,” his former Empire costar, Taraji P. Henson, commented.
In the Lee Daniels-helmed drama, which ran for five seasons beginning in 2015, Jussie played the onscreen son of the Golden Globe award winner, 54.
It was during his time on the series when Jussie claimed that on Jan. 29, 2019, while on his way home from a Subway sandwich shop, he was attacked by two men late at night. He alleged they yelled racist and homophobic slurs, put a rope around his neck and doused him with bleach.
Prosecutors alleged that he staged the attack to get media attention and paid $3,500 to two brothers, Abimbola “Bola” and Olabinjo “Ola” Osundairo, to help him pull it off. In November 2024, the Illinois Supreme Court overturned the criminal convictions against him, ruling that his rights were violated when a special prosecutor pursued charges after the Cook County State’s Attorney previously dropped them. In May, he settled a civil lawsuit with the City of Chicago, agreeing to pay $50,000 to charity. He has maintained his innocence.
Speaking to PEOPLE about his sophomore directorial effort, The Lost Holliday, in September 2024, Jussie said Henson is someone who has “been there for me from day one.”
Jussie not only directed the film, but also stars alongside Redd as a character named Jason Holliday.
His now-fiancé was cast as his partner Damien, who was tragically killed. The film also stars Vivica A. Fox as Cassandra, Damien’s estranged mother, who travels to Los Angeles to plan her son’s funeral.
“It’s such a hopeful film,” Jussie told PEOPLE in September 2024. “I think that’s what I really get from this film for my own life, is that it’s so hopeful. It so, ‘Well, what is the next day going to be like? What is tomorrow going to bring me?’ It could bring something great, it could bring you something not so great, but it’s about what you do with [it].”
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