Cookie and Anika's old cohort Shyne Johnson (who scored an invite as the Lyons attempted to buy his silence about Lucious' murder of three rival dealers plus a fourth contract killing back in. "I was blown away like the car," Taraji P. Henson told TV Guide of her initial reaction to the flash-forward. I've always been kind of like that, but she reminds us that you're free if you come from up under the shadows of your fear. They live such a high-stakes life that it just seemed like life and death should touch upon them. Could the stresses of that job push him too far again, or had he learned how to handle it? It would have felt less abrupt than her getting shot and then we [immediately] come back after a commercial break and were mourning her death. While Henson usually shared the screen with big-name actors, Kelley L. Carter said Empire is "most certainly Henson's moment." Dis tew much. ? Obviously, there are so many other factors, but, in your ideal world, would your hope be that Jussie reappears at some point before the show ends? Though the producers promised to finish filming after the pandemic or publish the script of the film to know how it ends, everyone can't help but guess. But, I think that he may leave and discover some new things about himself before he comes back. "The Inside Track: The Rise of EMPIRE Part 1", "How Lee Daniels' Real-Life Experiences Helped Create Empire", "Taraji P. Henson Nabs Female Lead in Fox's Lee Daniels Hip-Hop Drama 'Empire', "Taraji P. Henson Is Finally Having Her Moment With "Empire", "The Cast and Director of 'Empire' Discuss Their New Show", "Mo'Nique Says Lee Daniels Wanted Her To Play Cookie On TV Hit 'Empire', "Taraji P. Henson on Her New Empire Character: "Oh, We're Going to Piss Off So Many People", "Taraji P. Henson as Cookie at Heart of TV's 'Empire', "Lee Daniels Builds a Soapy New Hip-Hop Empire for Fox", "Here's the Real Reason Why Taraji P. Henson Almost Turned Down Empire", "9 Fashion Staples You Need Inspired By Cookie Lyon From 'Empire', "Cookie Lyon's Empire Wardrobe Is Basically a Dream Closet of Leopard, Foxy Furs, and Tight Skirts", "Taraji P. Henson builds fashion 'Empire', "The Empire Cast on the Bib, Cookie's Style, and More at Their Very Lively Panel", "Almost 10 Million Tune in For Premiere of Fox's New Super Soap Empire", "All 38 Of Cookie's Fierce Looks In "Empire", "TV's 'Empire' arrives with much promise", "Empire: Are we ready for a black 'Dynasty'? Opera News does not consent to nor does it condone the posting of any content that violates the rights (including the copyrights) of any third party, nor content that may malign, inter alia, any religion, ethnic group, organization, gender, company, or individual. Visit our corporate site (opens in new tab). This time, however, she read a mysterious note that enraged her. Lucious denied this claim, revealing that he blew through her cash in months and was forced to steal from a friend in order to fund his debut album and thus the company. So we were just trying to show how difficult it is. "[13] Jamey Giddens from Daytime Confidential raved about Henson's portrayal of the "insurmountable" Cookie and said "just go ahead and hand the next six seasons worth of Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama series Emmys to Henson." As an actress, because Henson is so "uninhibited," the writers tend to write her "really big." The series finale was edited to include a combination of footage from Episodes 18 and 19, since the latter never finished filming due to all the TV production shutdowns that began in March. However, Yana's father Damon (Wood Harris) sees this hug and sees it as a. Michael Ausiello / Andre Lyon - Wikipedia Viewers don't see a father-son reunion, likely due to the shooting schedule cut short, but the suggestion of one is there. Like Henson, who lost her son's father three years after giving birth, Cookie "did whatever she had to do" to support her family. After she and her partner (Becky) cofounded the Bossy Media, Cookie shows up from no where and has indirectly stage a coup seeing her being sent off from her company (her blood and sweat). Instead of Smollett as the adult Jamal (now living in London to explain his absence this season), the flashback sequence insteadsimply shows a younger actor playing Jamal as a child. After a failed double romance by Cookie and Jamal Lyon with this family, this family has sworn to end the Lyons at all cost. The Empire lost an heirbut maybe not the one we expected. The setting and timing of this weeks Cookie-killing flash-forward it occurred at the Lyon family estate roughly nine months in the future suggests that her demise is directly linked to husband Lucious own previously teased death. Franklin. In the Season 5 premiere, it has been revealed that two years has passed since Cookie and Lucious lost Empire to Teddy Barker which is then turned over to Jeff Kingsley after Teddy unexpectedly dies. In one of the episode's best scenes, Yana takes the stage at Cookie's BossyFest musical extravaganza, performing "Home is on the Way,"a love song (and the finale title) that Lucious wrote with Cookie in mind as the Lyonslook lovingly at each other from opposite sides of the stage. But since we had shot this scene at the movie premiere, which [resembled the] spirit of the original finale, I [realized] I could build something [for the makeshift finale] with that [footage] and at least end it in the same spirit that we intended, in terms of Cookie and Lucious recognizing their love for one another, and the family coming together and realizing that the Lyons were more important than Empire. They have three sons: Andre, Hakeem, and Jamal. Now, in the season 5 finale, you split up Lucious and Cookie. Are you equally suspicious about Cookies presumed death? He seemingly resumed his work at Empire. Carter praised Henson's portrayal of Cookie as well as the actor's previous characters and said that "Her characters consistently feel like real people the audience actually knows, thanks to the measured way in which she portrays black women who've endured hardships." After the season finale, fans all over the world have been in deep thought, as to who the killers of Cookie and Lucious (Coocious) would be. Lucious managed to beat Damon to death with his prosthetic leg. In an episode of season 6, the family was also shown in a boardroom meeting discussing the Lyons. However, federal prosecutors went public with the pending charges against Lucious in an attempt to scare him out of hiding and turn himself in. In that way, it was successful. It's unrealistic to not think about how it should end and how do you draw the empire to an epic conclusion. The 16 Most Shocking 'Empire' Season 1 Moments, From Jamal In The NY 10036. By joining TV Guide, you agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy. I guess that was a little bit of a surprise. 'Empire' Series Finale Recap: Season 6, Episode 18 | TVLine He has taken down a lot of people in the past, yes, he told Cookie that and so he want to get back at Coocious for putting him out of business. Lucious Lyon (Terrence Howard) is hiding from the federal government who want him on money laundering charges, so he wears a Bob Marley-like wig and glasses, and has a new girlfriend. While that plan falls apart, Jamal ends up performing with Hakeem anyway. It was still sad to lose Kingsley, but that was the decision that was made in the end and he was put in the coffin. When your season 6 renewal was announced, Fox said there were "no plans" for Jussie to come back, but are you leaving door the open for him to eventually return? Cookie also made an enemy from the head of the ASAs when she refused to cancel BossyFest. Her wardrobe is filled with fur, animal prints, golds and sparkles. That's exactly why she does it. Cookie and Lucious have a big problem on their hands. A lot of shows are coming back," Henson said. * Cookie begins seeing a therapist to get to the bottom of her pesky insomnia. [6] Lee Daniels said that Henson was who he "envisioned" when he first thought of the character. Who wrote the note, and what did the note say to alarm her? While Cookie spent the. I love dressing up, as you can see, I love to play," said Henson. comments sorted by Best Top New Controversial Q&A Add a Comment melindamendal Additional comment actions. Who knows, maybe we'll give them more. Cookie strove to ensure that her children would get the best out of everything. Henson said "I make a conscious effort to sit on it" because if she always played it big, Cookie becomes a "stereotype and no one cares. At the same time she schemes to get Jamal to come out publicly during Hakeem's debut performance at Lucious' club. Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, In order to "be a boss woman", Cookie sets up a wardrobe that allows her to "look like one. Viewers already saw the scene that looks a lot like patriarch Lucious Lyon (which is apparently Terrence Howard's final role) will bite the dust, but now it appears that Cookie Lyon could die. So then you don't think the damage is irreparable? [28] In 2016, Henson won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a drama series. Empire Season 6: Taraji P. Henson on Cookie's Supposed Death, Lucious Like with Lucious, we can at least rule out the candidates who died before having the chance to enact any vengeance. ), Still, it's a triumphal closing moment for the Lyons as Hakeem takes to a throne on stage and the screen goes dark, with Lucious proclaiming: "To the Empire!". If you're in the market for some new shows now that Empire has come to an end, be sure to check out our 2020 spring premiere schedule and our 2020 summer premiere guide. "This man has been manipulating her since she was a child and now she's an adult with three grown children and she still can't free herself from his pull," Henson explained. [CDATA[ Season 6 has a lot of twist and turns and we have come to see that gizelle as an important character. Cookie made her share of enemies, although not nearly as many as Lucious. Copyright 2023 Meredith Corporation. //]]> At first Mouse wants a job, but then gets greedy after realizing that Andre is now the permanent CEO of Empire. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Even Yana couldn't snap and kill Cookie in a jealous rage due to her own unexpected death. Those ominous words followed the startling scene in which we again saw the Lyon family matriarch rushing to her car and sitting inside before the black luxury vehicle explodes -- presumably with her inside. She then tells Lucious to take care of it, which then leads to Gathers being killed by his own goons. Making a splash: A deep dive into the live-action, Jussie Smollett has been embroiled in controversy. It's hard to imagine. 9-1-1: Lone Star Staging Firefly Reunion With Adam Baldwin and Gina Torres. Throughout Empire's Season 1 finale, Lucious Lyon seems hellbent on reinforcing the damning assessment of his life and in particular, his parenting skills made last week by his ex-wife Co Who killed Cookie and Lucious in Empire (OPINION) - Opera News Now, She's The Face Of The Designer Brand, John Wick: Keanu Reeves Stunt Double Shares Epic Video From The Set, Danny Mastersons Ex Girlfriend Took The Stand With Harrowing Testimony About Alleged Sexual Assault, Drake Bell Photographed Seemingly Huffing Balloon Following Recent Controversies, The Masked Singers Gargoyle Talks Incredible Intensity Of Performing In Front Of Nick Cannon And Others, Teases More Music On The Way, Guardians Of The Galaxy's James Gunn Shares His One Big Issue With Avengers: Infinity War, After Ted Lasso Episode Got Fans Theorizing About Trent Crimm's Book Title, James Lance Gave Us A Hilarious Hint, Alien's Sigourney Weaver Talks Why The 'Ship Has Sailed' On Her Reprising Ripley, Chicago P.D. Eventually, Lucious learns that Jeff is actually Lucious' son that he had with another woman, Tracy Kingsley, before he married Cookie. The episode, titled "Stronger than My Rival," kicked off with another flash-forward nine months into the future that alluded to Cookie's untimely demise. Jamal tries to rally the family . Do Maya and Hakeem get together? ", The episode then cuts to the film's premiere screening, with the Lyons all together and Cookie proclaiming, "It's our family's night.". Andre did make the decision to give up on his idea to pursue mission work in South America, wanting to be there for his son even if Teri wouldn't take him back romantically. However, Henson's manager sent her the script for Empire anyway. * After a two-episode absence precipitated by portrayer Bryshere Y. Grays reduced Season 6 workload,Hakeem returns just in time to attend the baptism ofAndre and Teris son Walker. Lucious Lyon - Wikipedia When she was in bed with Lucious Lyon, this was confessed in his sleep. Damon Cross seemed like the most likely candidate for a while, especially once Lucious hooked up with his daughter. To discuss the season finale, EW chatted with Mahoney about Kingsley's death, splitting up Lucious (Terrence Howard) and Cookie (Taraji P. Henson), and Jussie Smollett's future on the show.