"Empire" star Trai Byers recently dished on the upcoming second season of the hit Fox series.
Byers, who plays the role of Andre Lyon, recently sat down for an interview with the Huffington Post to talk about his character's bipolar disorder and how he is able to portray the illness correctly.
In an attempt to prepare for his challenging role, Byers revealed that he spent so much time online doing research. In addition to this, he also found inspiration from a family member who struggles with bipolar disorder, according to Wet Paint.
"I was able to witness one of this person's episodes in a very extreme manner that aided me with where we were able to take Andre. It weighs heavily on me, but I love doing work like this," he said.
Byers went on to talk about how his character has changed everyone's perception that people with bipolar disorder couldn't be successful.
"Absolutely, you hit the nail on the head. My family member is one of the most charismatic people you'll meet - successful, lovely - but when they're off their medication the imbalance that they have no control over kicks in," he explained.
Meanwhile, Byers also discussed Andre's future in the upcoming sophomore season of "Empire." According to him, the series will pick up exactly where they left off in season 1.
"You know, Andre is about to be a father, Vernon has been killed. Within that, he is trying to define his identity. He was moving more toward the spiritual realm and trying to recreate himself outside the Empire Enterprises," he dished.
In other news, some of the biggest names in Hollywood have been tapped to join the cast of "Empire," either as guest stars or as regulars.
As of late, Alicia Keys, Chris Rock and Lenny Kravitz will appear in at least one episode this season. Supermodel Naomi Campbell and Raven Symone will also reprise their roles on the hit series, Christian Today noted.
"Empire" season 2 will premiere on Fox in the fall.
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