Jurnee Smollett on brother Jussie Smollett's alleged hate crime hoax: "It's been f*cking painful"

The Hollywood Reporter

The Lovecraft Country star is speaking out about her brother's alleged hate crime for the first time in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter. Choosing her words carefully, Jurnee Smollett says her brother is innocent. "It's been f*cking painful, one of the most painful things my family's ever experienced -- to love someone as much as we love my brother, and to watch someone who you love that much go through something like this, that is so public, has been devastating," she says. "I was already in a very dark space for a number of reasons, and I've tried to not let it make me pessimistic. But everyone who knows me knows that I love my brother and I believe my brother."