Scratch the surface of Fox's monster hit drama Empire and you'll find a whole lot of truths that are based on the experiences of Lee Daniels, who created the series with his partner, Danny Strong.
Just as fictional hip-hop artist Jamal Lyon was beaten as a child by his homophobic father, so, too, was Daniels, who serves as Empire's executive producer, writer and sometimes director. (Unlike Lucious Lyon, Empire's father figure and head of a powerful music company—portrayed with steely-eyed grit by actor Terrence Howard—Daniels' father was a Philadelphia cop.)
WORK SMARTER - LEARN, GROW AND BE INSPIRED.
Subscribe today!
To Read the Full Story Become an Adweek+ Subscriber
Already a member? Sign in