Netflix has greenlit The Truth About Jussie Smollett?, a documentary centered on the still unresolved case of American actor Jussie Smollett. The widely publicized case, in which Smollett was accused of staging a hate crime against himself, will be revisited with new evidence.
The documentary presents the incident as an “allegedly fake story that some now say might just be a true story. With first-hand interviews from those at the helm, including investigating police, lawyers, journalists, and Jussie himself, this compelling documentary invites the audience to decide for themselves who is telling The Truth About Jussie Smollett?”
The project comes six years after Smollett, who was a star of the Empire series on Fox, reported being the victim of a racist and homophobic attack by two masked men. A month later, he was arrested on charges of staging the assault by paying two acquaintances. He was convicted but served only six days in jail after his lawyers appealed. In November 2024, his conviction was overturned, and by May 2025, a settlement was reached in which Smollett agreed to donate $60,000 to charitable organizations in Chicago.
The 90-minute documentary will be directed by Gagan Rehill, best known for Ashley Madison: Sex, Lies & Scandal, and executive produced by Raw’s Tom Sheahan and Tim Wardle. The UK-based production company Raw, backed by All3Media and known for Netflix hits like The Tinder Swindler and *Don’t Fk with Cats, is behind the project.
The Truth About Jussie Smollett? is set to premiere on Netflix on August 22.
Source: C21Media
