Man Crush Monday: Jussie Smollett

Jussie Smollett jumped into the spotlight as Jamal Lyon on Fox’s television series Empire. His infectious joy and kind-hearted personality in interviews are reason enough for him to be our Man Crush Monday, but we won’t stop there. Here are a few more reasons why Jussie Smollett should be your #MCM:

• Jussie is a veteran performer. He has been acting and performing since he was a child. From 90s movies like The Mighty Ducks and North to more recent popular TV shows like The Mindy Project and Revenge, he’s had a wide-range of projects.

• The man can sing and write beautiful music. Jussie has a voice like butter. From the first moment you see him perform on Empire, you can’t help but root for him. In his personal life, Jussie is an accomplished performer as well. He has an EP out, and he signed with Columbia Records (projected album release date is sometime this year). Jussie even co-wrote (and performed) “You’re So Beautiful” from season 1 of Empire:

• Family is important. Jussie Smollett grew up in a large, close-knit family. In fact, they were all a part of a television series in the mid-90s called On Our Own. Jussie also recently worked with his sister, Jurnee, on WGN America’s Underground.

• He’s well-spoken and embodies being true to yourself. Jussie and his character, Jamal, have gotten a lot of attention for coming out as gay. While his character is certainly breaking boundaries on television and in the hip-hop music community, Jussie has always been open about who he is. He was incredibly eloquent when discussing it on The Ellen DeGeneres Show.

• He is not afraid of activism. Jussie and Jurnee discussed their family’s involvement in political movements growing up and how they are still active with The New York Times recently. Being someone in the spotlight who is conscious about what they put into the world and how they help others is definitely one of the most admirable qualities about Jussie.

• And, of course, we could fall into those adorable dimples.

Photo Credit: Chris Fragapane/FOX