Empire is an American musical drama television series created by Lee Daniels and Danny Strong which debuted on January 7, 2015, on Fox. Although filmed in Chicago, the show is based in New York City and it centers on a fictional hip hop music and entertainment company, Empire Entertainment, and the drama among the members of the founders' family as they fight for control of the company.
Main characters ActorCharacterSeasons123456 Terrence Howard Lucious Lyon colspan="6" Taraji P. Henson Cookie Lyon colspan="6" Bryshere Y. Gray Hakeem Lyon colspan="6" Jussie Smollett Jamal Lyon colspan="5" Trai Byers Andre Lyon colspan="6" Grace Byers Anika Calhoun colspan="4" colspan="2" Malik Yoba Vernon Turner colspan="1" colspan="5" Kaitlin Doubleday Rhonda Lyon colspan="2" colspan="1" colspan="1" colspan="2" Gabourey Sidibe Becky Williams colspan="1" colspan="5" Ta'Rhonda Jones Porsha Taylor colspan="1" colspan="5" Serayah Tiana Brown colspan="1" colspan="5" Morocco Omari Tariq Cousins colspan="1" colspan="1" colspan="1" colspan="3" Bre-Z Freda Gatz colspan="1" colspan="1" colspan="1" colspan="2" colspan="1" Xzibit Shyne Johnson colspan="1" colspan="1" colspan="2" colspan="1" Andre Royo Thirsty Rawlings colspan="1" colspan="2" colspan="2" colspan="1" Rumer Willis Tory Ash colspan="2" colspan="1" colspan="1" colspan="2" Terrell Carter Warren Hall colspan="2" colspan="1" colspan="1" colspan="1" colspan="1" Nicole Ari Parker Giselle Sims-Barker colspan="3" colspan="1" colspan="2" Chet Hanks Blake Sterling colspan="3" colspan="1" colspan="1" colspan="1" Rhyon Nicole Brown Maya Landry-Lyon colspan="3" Colspan="1" colspan="2" A.Z. Kelsey Jeff Kingsley colspan="4" colspan="2" Vivica A. Fox Candace Holloway-Mason colspan="4" Meta Golding Teri Lyon colspan="4" colspan="1" colspan="1" Mario Devon colspan="4" colspan="1" colspan="1" Katlynn Simone Treasure colspan="4" colspan="1" colspan="1" Wood Harris Damon Cross colspan="4" colspan="1" colspan="1"
Lucious Lyon (Terrence Howard (original cast), 2015–2020) A former drug dealer turned hip hop mogul and the founder and long-time CEO of Empire Entertainment whose life begins to cave in around him after his past sins come back to haunt him when allegedly diagnosed with ALS.
Loretha "Cookie" Holloway Lyon (Taraji P. Henson (original cast), 2015–2020) Lucious Lyon's outspoken wife and mother of his three sons, who served a 17-year stretch in prison for drug dealing. She sees herself as the sacrificial lamb for Empire Entertainment, which she built with Lucious, but then took the fall for when she was arrested for running the drugs that financed Lucious' early career. Upon her return from prison, she is determined to bring the Lyon family back together and reclaim her share of Empire Entertainment. In the second season, Cookie leaves Empire and starts her own record label, Lyon Dynasty. After allowing Empire Entertainment to acquire Lyon Dynasty, she returns to Empire as co-CEO with Lucious and Head of A&R. Cookie's love interests are Malcolm DeVeaux, Laz Delgado (Season 2) and Angelo DuBois (Season 3).
Andre Lyon (Trai Byers (original cast), 2015–2020) The eldest son of the Lyon family and CFO of Empire Entertainment. He is Wharton educated, power hungry, and suffers from bipolar disorder. He is married to his college sweetheart, Rhonda. He plans to run Empire, but is in a battle for the head chair with his younger brothers. In the second season, Andre initially helps Cookie and Hakeem set up Lyon Dynasty, but later returns to Empire. Lucious later promotes Andre to President of Gutter Life Records, a sub-division of Empire Entertainment consisting of mainly urban rappers, such as Freda Gatz. In Season 3 & 4, he loses his wife and becomes Nessa, Charlotte & Pamela's new lovers.
Jamal Lyon (Jussie Smollett (original cast), 2015– 2019) The middle son of the Lyon family, an openly gay singer-songwriter who despises the corporate aspect of the music industry. He is estranged from his father who considers him the "black sheep" of the family. Jamal is Cookie's favorite and has a strong relationship with his brother Hakeem. At the end of the first season, Lucious appoints Jamal as his successor and, later, interim CEO when he is arrested. He later relinquishes control of Empire back to Lucious. After being shot accidentally by Freda Gatz in Season 2, Jamal begins to present symptoms of PTSD and reliance on painkillers. His addiction ultimately leads to a visit to rehab.
Hakeem Lyon (Bryshere Y. Gray (original cast), 2015–2020) The fame-obsessed youngest son of the Lyon family and Lucious's favorite child, who is a hip hop star on the rise. Hakeem starts to find feelings for his mother, Cookie, and has a great relationship with Jamal. He has relationships with Tiana Brown, Camilla Marks, Anika Calhoun, Valentina, and Laura.
Anika Calhoun Lyon (Grace Byers (original cast), 2015–2018) Initially the ambitious head of Empire Entertainment A&R who becomes engaged to Lucious, but they eventually separate. After leaving Empire, Anika begins to sleep with Hakeem, leading to Anika's pregnancy. Fearful of Rhonda's pregnancy and the unborn child's claim to being the Heir of Empire, Anika pushes Rhonda down a set of stairs, leading to the death of her unborn child. Cookie and Anika share an extreme dislike for one another, with Cookie referring to Anika as the derisive nickname "Boo Boo Kitty". Anika meets her demise in the Season 4 finale after Andre drugs her to guilt her for all the wrong she's done. Like Andre, Anika hallucinates Rhonda and tries to run from her, but she accidentally falls over a balcony and onto a table full of wine glasses, killing her.
Vernon Turner (Malik Yoba (original cast), 2015) Lucious Lyon's longtime friend and business partner, and chairman of Empire Entertainment. He was accidentally murdered by Rhonda in the season one finale.
Rhonda Lyon (Kaitlin Doubleday (original cast), 2015–2016, 2018) Andre's wife. She is extremely fierce and loyal, and sticks by Andre's side as he tries to gain control of Empire. In the first-season finale, she finds out that she is pregnant, but the baby eventually dies in the second season spring premiere, after Anika violently pushed her down the stairs in the second season fall finale. After her recovery, Rhonda begins to work for Empire's fashion label, Antony and Cleopatra, initially headed by Camilla Marks-Whiteman. After Camilla's suicide, Rhonda is appointed Creative Director of Antony and Cleopatra. In the third-season premiere, she falls off of a building and lands onto a car, leading to her death, after attacking Anika. She makes a few appearances in the first half of the third season as a "ghost"; appearing to Andre due to his hallucinations. In the Season 4 finale, she returns as a hallucination to Anika this time as a result of Andre drugging her; leading up to her own tragic death in a similar scenario Rhonda faced. "Rhonda" gazes upon the dying Anika and vanishes before her eyes.
Rebecca "Becky" Williams (Gabourey Sidibe (original cast), 2015–2020) Executive assistant to Lucious Lyon at Empire Entertainment. After Jamal's promotion to vice-chairman, Jamal promotes Becky to A&R at Empire and its sub-label, Gutter Life Records.
Porsha Taylor (Ta'Rhonda Jones, 2015–2020) Cookie Lyon's executive assistant.
Tiana Brown (Serayah, 2015–2020) An artist at Empire Entertainment who becomes Hakeem Lyon's girlfriend for some time. In Season 2, she leaves Empire for Lyon Dynasty. She also starts to get jealous of the relationship Hakeem has with Laura. In Season 3, her and Hakeem reconcile. At the season 4 finale, she reveals that she is pregnant with Hakeem's child and they plan to be a family. In Season 5, two years later they are still together and have a son named Prince Lyon.
Tariq Cousins (Morocco Omari, 2016–2017) An FBI agent and Lucious Lyon's paternal half-brother. He was stabbed in the neck by Leah in Toil and Trouble Part 1.
Leslie "Shine" Johnson (Xzibit, 2016–2018) Described as "100 percent wolf and 100 percent gangsta," he is a rival of Lucious Lyon. In season 4, He was shot and killed by Webb for trying to kill Lucious in the Season 3 finale.
Giselle Sims-Barker (Nicole Ari Parker, 2017–2020) The beautiful trophy ex-wife of Eddie Barker.
Maya (Rhyon Nicole Brown, 2018–2020) The daughter of Poundcake, Cookie Lyon's fellow inmate. Maya was born in prison, stolen from her mother's arms, and adopted by upper middle-class parents. A classically trained dancer, she's beautiful, graceful, and headstrong. She woke up married to Hakeem during their trip from Vegas.
Jeff Kingsley (A.Z. Kelsey, 2018–2020) Kinglsey is revealed to be the illegitimate son of Lucious, something he reveals in to the entire Lyon Family while shaming his father to the public. In the season finale, Kingsley commits suicide.
Recurring characters This is a list of recurring actors and the characters they portrayed in multiple episodes, which were significant roles, sometimes across multiple seasons. The characters are listed by the season in which they first appeared.
Carol Holloway (Tasha Smith, 2015–2020) Cookie Lyon's younger sister from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She is a recovering drug addict.
Juanita (Claudette Burchett, 2015–2020) Lucious Lyon's housekeeper.
Chicken (AzMarie Livingston, 2015–2020) A member of Hakeem Lyon's crew and a DJ.
Steve Cho (Mike Moh, 2015–2017) Public relations employee at Empire.
Michael Sanchez (Rafael de la Fuente, 2015–2016) Chef and Jamal Lyon's former boyfriend. They separate in season 1, but reunited sometime before the premiere of season 2. Michael eventually cheats on Jamal with Chase One, and they end their relationship.
Camilla Marks Whiteman (Naomi Campbell, 2015–2016) Fashion designer and Hakeem Lyon's lover but then leaves him, later on she is announced as the wife of Mimi Whiteman in the second season. Camilla uses her connection to Mimi and seizes Empire to give it to Hakeem but he rejects her for Laura. Camilla later poisons Mimi and is caught by Lucious who records her act, he gives her the chance to commit suicide and she drinks the same poison and dies off-screen.
Veronica (V. Bozeman, 2015–2017) An artist formerly signed to Empire Entertainment.
Ryan Morgan (Eka Darville, 2015) Documentary filmmaker, who eventually becomes a fling of Jamal's.
Agent Harlow Carter (Nealla Gordon, 2015) FBI agent, working with Cookie Lyon.
Marcus "Bunkie" Williams (Antoine McKay, 2015); 2019 (flashback) Cookie Lyon's cousin who is killed by Lucious.
Malcolm DeVeaux (Derek Luke, 2015) Head of Security at Empire and love interest of Cookie Lyon.
Billy Baretti (Judd Nelson, 2015–2019) Owner of Creedmoor Entertainment.
Reverend L.C. Price (Charles Malik Whitfield, 2015, 2018) Pastor who helps Andre.
Leonard Bernstein (Will Kinnear, 2015–2018) Empire board member.
Edna Bunnin (Sara Sevigny, 2015–2018) Empire board member.
Leah Mary Walker (Kelly Rowland, 2015–2016 (flashbacks); Leslie Uggams, 2016–2020) Lucious Lyon's presumed dead mother, who turned out to be living in a nursing facility. She is eventually brought to New York City by Andre, and is now living with Lucious.
Mimi Whiteman (Marisa Tomei, 2015)
Candace Holloway-Mason (Vivica A. Fox, 2015–2020) Cookie Lyon's well-behaved but snobby and judgmental older sister. She lives in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, with her husband, Kevin (who is white), and their two children, Brianna and Franklin. She is a realtor.
Roxanne Ford (Tyra Ferrell, 2015) Prosecutor.
Thurston "Thirsty" Rawlings (Andre Royo, 2015–2019) Lucious Lyon's sharp lawyer who has unethical moves and a shady past.
Freda Gathers\"Freda Gatz" (Bre-z, 2015–2019)
Derek "D-Major" Major (Tobias Truvillion, 2015–p2017) Music producer, who is secretly gay and Jamal's love interest.
Laz Delgado (Adam Rodriguez, 2015)