New Documentary Reveals The Truth About Jussie Smollett's Case

The nonfiction work promises an interview with the actor and investigators who claim to have uncovered new evidence.

Jussie Smollett caused headlines in 2019 when he claimed to be the victim of a racist, homophobic attack. However, as the investigation pursued, the actor ended up facing charges in a chaotic turn of events. Now, the entire saga is set to be explored in a new nonfiction work that seeks to uncover the facts.

The Truth About Jussie Smollett? from the All3Media-owned production company Raw, which is also behind the Tinder Swindler documentary, is set for Netflix, according to an exclusive report from Deadline. The outlet noted an August 22 release date with the following logline:

“Shocking true story of an allegedly fake story that some now say might just be a true story. Featuring interviews with police, lawyers, journalists, investigators who claim to have uncovered new evidence about the case, and with Jussie himself, this compelling documentary invites the audience to decide for themselves who is telling The Truth About Jussie Smollett?”

In December 2021, Smollett was convicted of five counts of felony disorderly conduct for making false reports to police. He was sentenced to 150 days behind bars the following March as he maintained his innocence. After filing for appeal in December 2023, his conviction was upheld by the Illinois appeals court. Still, the saga did not end there.

The Illinois Supreme Court overturned the 43-year-old’s conviction in November 2024. The decision was not based on guilt or innocence, however. In the ruling, the court decided that a special prosecutor should not have been allowed to bring charges against the actor after the Cook County state’s attorney initially dropped charges in exchange for forfeiting his $10,000 bond and community service.

In May 2025, the City of Chicago and Smollett reached an agreement, settling the $130,000 lawsuit the city filed for expenses spent on the police investigation. Throughout the entire ordeal, Smollett has continued to maintain his innocence.

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