The Fox super hit featuring love, hip hop, riches and betrayal is getting more star power for Season 3. Empire, the show that follows rapper-turned-producer Lucious Lyon, played by Terrence Howard, and his family, who perform and produce hip hop music as part of the fictional Empire Records, will add Taye Diggs in a recurring role for Season 3, according to The Wrap.
Diggs is a well-known Broadway actor, and he originated the role of Benny in Rent as well as performed as Hedwig in Hedwig and the Angry Inch in its Broadway run. He has also appeared in film and television, including Dr. Sam Bennett in Private Practice, Benny in the feature film version of of Rent and Terry English in Murder in the First.
According to The Wrap, in Empire, Diggs will play Angelo Dubois, Harvard-educated city councilman with a wealthy background, who spurned the high-paying private sector to serve the community. Dubois is passionate about local politics and working with his community. TVLine suggests that Diggs’ character shares a lot in common with Barack Obama. The Wrap suggests that Dubios’ morality and do-gooder attitude will conflict with Lucious Lyon and his ex-wife, Cookie, played by Taraji P. Henson.
At the conclusion of Season 2, the Lyon family was fighting off a murder charge against Lucious Lyon. Cookie and Lucious had just reconciled their relationship, when Lucious was forced to marry his ex-fiance Anika, played by Grace Gealey. As if that wasn’t dramatic enough, shortly after the quickie wedding, Anika was attacked by Lucious’ daughter-in-law, Rhonda, played by Kaitlin Doubleday, who accused Anika of pushing her down the stairs and causing a miscarriage.
Diggs is another in a long line of high-profile guest stars on Empire, which has attracted a lot of fantastic talent. The show has featured big name actors, as well as big time recording artists, who can get a very natural opportunity to perform on the show. Guest stars have included Ludacris, Cuba Gooding Jr., Mary J. Blige, Chris Rock, Rita Ora and Snoop Dogg.
Season 3 of Empire premieres this fall, September 21st on Fox. According to TVLine, Diggs’ character will make his debut in that premiere episode.