Set within a world of music, glamour, danger and power, EMPIRE is a new drama about a family dynasty that follows the head of a music empire whose three sons and ex-wife all battle for his throne.
Starring Academy Award nominee Terrence Howard (“Crash,” “Hustle & Flow”) and Academy Award and Emmy Award nominee Taraji P. Henson (“No Good Deed,” “Person of Interest”), and featuring music by prolific producer Timbaland, EMPIRE is from Academy Award nominee Lee Daniels (“Lee Daniels’ The Butler,” “Precious”), Emmy Award winner Danny Strong (“Game Change,” “Lee Daniels’ The Butler”) and Academy Award- and Emmy Award-winning producer Brian Grazer (“A Beautiful Mind,” “24”).
LUCIOUS LYON (Howard) is the king of hip-hop. An immensely talented artist, the CEO of Empire Entertainment and a former street thug, his reign has been unchallenged for years. But all that changes, when he learns he has a disease that is going to render him incapacitated in a matter of three years. The clock is ticking, and he must groom one of his three sons to take over his crowning achievement, without destroying his already fractured family.
After prompting his sons to vie for the empire, Lucious’ new plan is thrown into chaos when his ex-wife, COOKIE (Henson), emerges seven years early from prison, where she’s been for almost two decades. Brash and fearless, she sees herself as the sacrificial lamb who built an empire with Lucious and then took the fall for running the drugs that financed Lucious’ early career.
As the Lyons slug it out, a battle begins that will either cause the family’s destruction or redemption. Lives and loves will be lost as the complicated family will come together and fall apart over each member’s desire for the elusive throne. Will the family unite and learn to love each other before it’s too late? Love, war, family, sacrifice, money and music: this is EMPIRE.
Among the series’ other featured cast members are Malik Yoba (“Revolution,” “Girlfriends”), Jussie Smollett (“North,” “The Mighty Ducks”), Trai Byers (“90210”) and Kaitlin Doubleday (“Hung,” “Catch Me If You Can”), as well as newcomers Bryshere Gray and Grace Gealey. Guest stars include supermodel Naomi Campbell, Academy Award winner Cuba Gooding, Jr. (“Jerry Maguire”), Academy Award nominee Gabourey Sidibe (“American Horror Story,” “Precious”), Grammy Award and Golden Globe Award nominee Courtney Love (“The People vs. Larry Flynt”), Derek Luke (“The Americans”) and Judd Nelson (“The Breakfast Club”).
EMPIRE is from Imagine Television in association with 20th Century Fox Television. The series is created by Lee Daniels and Danny Strong. The pilot is written by Daniels and Strong. The series is executive-produced by Daniels, Strong, Brian Grazer, Ilene Chaiken (“The L Word”) and Francie Calfo (“Those Who Kill,” “Gang Related”). Daniels directed the pilot. “Like” EMPIRE on Facebook a twww.facebook.com/EmpireFOX. Follow the series on Twitter @EmpireFOX and join the discussion using #empire. See photos and videos on Instagram by following @EmpireFOX.