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Jussie Smollett could win an NAACP award—and host Anthony Anderson hopes he does: 'the system worked for him'
Actor Jussie Smollett attended the 49th NAACP Image Awards Non-Televised Award Show at The Pasadena Civic Auditorium on Jan. 14, 2018, in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for NAACP)

Jussie Smollett could win an NAACP award—and host Anthony Anderson hopes he does: 'the system worked for him'

'The system isn't always fair, especially for people of color'

Actor Jussie Smollett, fresh off the bizarre dropping of all 16 felony counts against him by Chicago prosecutors, could win an NAACP Image Award this weekend, according to USA Today.

Smollett was nominated about a month after he was allegedly attacked in Chicago by two Trump supporters, a claim which turned out to be so outrageous that Smollett was charged with multiple felonies for lying to police. Now that his charges have been dropped, host Anthony Anderson, who stars in the television show "Black-ish," hopes Smollett wins.

"I'm happy for him that the system worked for him in his favor because the system isn't always fair, especially for people of color. So I'm glad it worked out for him," Anderson told Variety.

Smollett has won numerous Image Awards in the past several years, including a 2017 win for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series, the category he is nominated in this year.

Anderson said he doesn't want to judge Smollett — but he does want to hear what he might have to say if he wins.

"It is not my place or any other person's place to judge him or what not, but I'm glad he's nominated," Anderson said. "I hope he wins because I'd be interested to hear his speech."

Smollett's comments since his charges for lying to police have been dropped have focused on reiterating his claim of having been truthful and consistent throughout the situation.

"I have been truthful and consistent on every single level since day one," Smollett said. "I would not be my mother's son if I was capable of one drop of what I've been accused of. This has been an incredibly difficult time -- honestly one of the worst of my entire life."

Still, the manner in which Smollett's charges were dropped have opened him and Chicago authorities up to intense scrutiny. Earlier Thursday, President Donald Trump tweeted that the FBI would be looking into the case, which he called an "embarrassment to our nation."

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