Jussie Smollett Reveals Deepest Wish for His Future Is Being a Dad

Jussie Smollett is hoping to reach a new milestone in the next five to 10 years — becoming a father.

"I pray to have a child. I'm the type of person that I think that I would feel ... I'll say this, I can't imagine my life ending without having been a father," Smollett, 42, told People in an interview published on Saturday, September 28. "I just don't see that. I can't visualize me not being a father, because I know I'd be a damn good father. I know it."

Smollett said his desire to become a parent is one of the reasons why he's "still in the game" and fighting "in all of this."

"I want my future kid to look at me and be like, 'Yo, he did that. He got through things and he created a world, or attempted to create a world and leave it just a tiny bit, or a lot of it, better than it was when he found it," he said. "I just really want my kid to like me and be proud of me. I'm doing all of this stuff for my kid, for one day them to read this conversation and just be like, 'Oh, he said that he was doing this for us. And he did.'"

The Empire star alleged in 2019 that he was the victim of a homophobic and racist attack , claiming two people poured an unknown chemical substance on him and wrapped a rope around his neck.

Us Weekly later confirmed that he was charged with making a false police report . Smollett was arrested and charged with 16 felony counts of disorderly conduct. He had all criminal charges dropped against him in March 2019 after entering a not guilty plea. In February 2020, Smollett was indicted on six counts for making false reports to police. He pleaded not guilty to the new charges.

Following a high-profile trial, Smollett was convicted in 2021 of five out of six felony counts of disorderly conduct. Smollett was sentenced to 30 months of felony probation, with 150 days serving in jail , and required to pay the city of Chicago $120,000 in restitution as well as a fine of $25,000. His release was later granted pending the appeal of his conviction, which Illinois' high court agreed in March to hear.

Now, Smollett told the outlet that his hope to have a child is portrayed in The Lost Holliday, which he directed and stars in. The film follows Jason (Smollett) who becomes a single father to his adopted daughter after Damien (Jabari Redd) is killed in a shooting.

While reflecting on arduous times in life, Smollett told the outlet that his "biggest" piece of advice is to "hold on five more minutes and five more minutes after that. Because if you let go at four minutes and 50 seconds, you've missed those 10 seconds that things could have gotten right."