"Empire" recently concluded its first season with a bang, making fans already anticipating for its upcoming season. Despite rumors that Malik Yoba was fired, causing the writers to kill his character off in season one, series creator Danny Strong said that Vernon's death was part of the story.
"Empire" is the most-watched series on TV in the last ten years, EW reported. According to the outlet, the show's season finale garnered a total of 16.7 million viewers, making it the most-watched TV series since "Grey's Anatomy" in 2005.
With fans excitedly waiting for its comeback for season two, reports came out that Malik Yoba's character was intentionally killed in season one because Yoba was fired.
Yoba previously expressed his feelings on leaving the show early on and said that he was not happy to leave the highly rated show. Strong denied rumors that Yoba was fired and insisted that his character's death was part of the story.
"Malik is a terrific actor... But this is where his story led us. It was completely story related," Strong told EurWeb.
Strong also denied rumors that Macy Gray was initially set to play Camilla, but was replaced due to her erratic behavior on set.
Strong said that Macy Gray only performed the role during a pilot scene, but they decided to go with Naomi Campbell because she "would be a better fit for the role."
He also brushed up on Lee Daniels' thoughts of making Jamal's character into a gay hero. Strong said that it was "inherent" in the first draft he presented to Daniels.
He said that he hoped that the show will address issues on homophobia in a "very blunt, honest, and upfront way."
As to what fans can expect on season two, Strong told Deadline (via Christian Examiner) that there are only "vague notions" for the next season, but he hinted that there will be conflicts after learning about who was going to inherit the empire.
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