News that Chicago prosecutors have dropped all the charges against Empire star Jussie Smollet shocked many on Tuesday.
And both supporters and critics of the move, many of them famous faces, quickly took to Twitter to express their opinions on the surprising decision.
The Chicago Police Department had accused Smollett of faking a sensational hate crime that grabbed headlines across the country.
Director Ava DuVernay was one of the many celebrities who stood by Smollett's side following the CPD's accusations, and she reiterated her support on Tuesday.
Questlove was among the celebrities who celebrated Jussie Smollett's charges being dropped on Tuesda y
Director Ava DuVernay was one of the many celebrities who stood by Smollett's side following the CPD's accusations, and she reiterated her support on Tuesday
Empire's writers celebrated the news and hinted at Smollett's return to the show. Executive producers had previously said he would not appear in the season's final two episodes
'I'll just put this right here,' she said, reposting a tweet she had written on February 17, which read: 'Despite the inconsistencies, I can't blindly believe Chicago PD. The department that covered up shooting Laquan McDonald over a dozen times? That operated an off-site torture facility? That one? I'll wait.'
Questlove, frontman of the band The Roots, tweeted a link to a story about the charges being dropped with the caption 'TOLD YALL'.
None of the stars of Empire have yet to individually speak out since the news broke, but the writers' room official Twitter account hinted at his return to the show.
The executive producers of the show, including creator Lee Daniels, said last month that Smollett would not appear in the last two episodes of Empire's season 'to avoid further disruption on set' as they waited to see how the legal process would play out.
Empire producer Janeika James retweeted an Instagram to show her support for Smollett, writing in the caption: 'WE LOVE YOU JUSSIE'
Empire executive producer Diane Ademu-John also posted her support for Smollett, saying an 'truly good person' had just been 'dragged through the gutter'
But on Tuesday's the show's writers celebrated the news, posting a grab from CNN announcing that Smollett's charges had been dropped.
'See y'all Wednesday,' they wrote, adding a winky face as they referenced the day of the week that Empire airs on Fox.
Empire executive producer Diane Ademu-John also posted her support for Smollett, saying an 'truly good person' had just been 'dragged through the gutter'.
'I am so happy he's been exonerated before any more damage was done, but make no mistake. Damage was done,' she tweeted.
Many others voiced their support for Smollett as well, including writer and activist George Johnson.
Many took to Twitter to show their support and celebrate the news on Tuesday, some with serious posts about listening to survivors and others with lighthearted memes and gifs
'All charges have been dropped against Jussie Smollett. Stop trusting Chicago PD,' he tweeted.
Writer Dana Vivian Write called on people to take Smollett's case as a 'lesson in believing survivors'.
'What's that you were saying about #JussieSmollett as publicly and loudly as you disparaged and discarded him? Is it the apology that he and many Black LGBTQ people have been waiting for?' he added.
Cambridge PhD scholar Michael Mumisa said he 'never doubted' the actor.
'Racist and homophobic violence is real. It's great news to hear that ALL charges have been dropped against #JussieSmollett,' he tweeted. 'We hope that he'll now be given the space he rightly deserves to rebuild his life and career.'
Adam Parkhomenko called on Fox News and Donald Trump Jr, both vocal critics of Smollett while his case was ongoing, to issue apologies to the Empire star
But Donald Jr has shown no signs of backing down, retweeting multiple conservative writers who spoke out against Smollett's charges being dropped on Tuesday
Joe Walsh and Ann Coulter were among the conservative speakers who also spoke out against the decision, with Coulter bizarrely deciding to point out the race of key players involved
Adam Parkhomenko called on Fox News and Donald Trump Jr,
