EMPIRE is a powerful new drama that follows LUCIOUS LYON (Academy Award nominee Terrence Howard, "Crash," "Hustle & Flow"), the head of a music empire whose reign has been unchallenged for years. But all that changes when he learns he has a disease and must choose one of his three sons to take over: ANDRE (Trai Bryers, "90210"), JAMAL (Jussie Smollett, "North," "The Mighty Ducks") or HAKEEM (acting newcomer Bryshere Gray, a.k.a. Yazz The Greatest). Complicating matters is their mother and Lucious' ex-wife, COOKIE (Academy Award and Emmy Award nominee Taraji P. Henson, "No Good Deed," "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"), who emerges from prison to claim her share.
