About Empire

From Oscar-nominated director Lee Daniels, 'Empire' is a groundbreaking hip-hop drama centered on a multi-million dollar enterprise headed by music tycoon Lucious Lyon. When he is diagnosed with a potentially fatal disease, Lucious must decide which of his three sons will inherit the empire. The drama is further complicated when his ex-wife, Cookie Lyon, emerges from prison to stake her claim.

Making / Production

'Empire' premiered in 2015 on Fox and was produced by Imagine Entertainment in association with 20th Century Fox Television. The series was created by Lee Daniels and Danny Strong, who also served as executive producers alongside Brian Grazer, Franchie Calhoun, Sanaa Hamri, and two others.

Actors

• Terrence Howard as Lucious Lyon: He played the character of Lucious Lyon, the CEO of Empire Entertainment with intensity and charm
• Taraji P. Henson as Cookie Lyon: Henson delivered an outstanding performance as Cookie, Lucious's ex-wife and the mother of his children
• Jussie Smollett as Jamal Lyon: As the middle son Jamal, Smollett gave a convincing portrayal of a young gay man struggling with his identity in a heteronormative industry
• Trai Byers as Andre Lyon: Byers plays the eldest son who, despite his business acumen, is overlooked due to his lack of musical talent and personal struggles

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• The character of Lucious Lyon was originally supposed to be named Luscious
• Empire's success led to the creation of two spin-off series - 'Star' and 'Empire: Cookie's Fortune'
• The set of the Empire recording studio is also used in other Fox series like 'Star'

Awards

'Empire' has received several awards and nominations. Taraji P. Henson won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Drama in 2016. The show has also been nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series and the BET Award for Best TV Show.

Quotes

• "The streets aren't made for everyone. That's why they made sidewalks." - Cookie Lyon
• "Music, the most powerful communication in the world, it can make you laugh, cry, fall in love." - Lucious Lyon

Music and Soundtrack

• The musical score for 'Empire' was composed by Fil Eisler
• Several original songs featured in the series were released on iTunes and Spotify
• The series released music albums for each season, featuring original songs performed by the cast