'Empire Cast: Actor Threatening To Quit? 'Hates He's Not The Star' [VIDEO]
One star of Fox’s Empire has threatened to leave the show just a couple of weeks before its highly anticipated return from hiatus.
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New reports claim that Trai Byers, who plays the oldest Lyon son Andre, is considering leaving the show for good.
“Trai wants out,” one source told Page Six Wednesday. “He feels that he studied at Yale and he’s a ‘true thespian’…The character is beneath him. He has an idea of himself as being this big Shakespearean actor.”
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The statement is pretty interesting considering Byers has one of the most thought-provoking roles on the show, as his character battles with bipolar while trying to remain on his father’s good side and keeping his newfound faith intact. Still, the insider said that Byers is ready to move on from one of the biggest shows on television.
“At first, being on ‘Empire’ was major for him. But he feels his character is not as important this season, and he hates not being the star. He thinks he has the acting chops of Taraji and Terrence. He doesn’t get how the show benefits him, and he feels he was way too much talent when he’s not the star by any means.”
This is also an interesting statement considering Byers character has stepped up this season after he finds out he and his wife Rhonda (played by actress Kaitlyn Doubleday) are expecting their first child together.
Still, a second insider confirmed the speculation and added, “Trai threw a temper tantrum during filming in the past few weeks, saying, ‘I don’t get to do enough, I might leave.’ But producers called his bluff and said, ‘Fine, if you’re not happy, we don’t need you.’ He thinks he is a brilliant guy who deserves a better role, but he’s hardly one of the most popular or dynamic actors on the show. He also fired all his reps for not getting him big movie roles.”
This isn’t the first rumor surrounding the show lately. Speculation also swirled that stars Taraji P. Henson and Terrence Howard were feuding. They both shut those down quickly. Only time will tell if the reports about Byers, who’s engaged to his co-star Grace Gealey, are true.
In the meantime, he looks pretty happy on set in a new video that Henson posted on Instagram.
No one is safe. on set @empirefox finale. #setlife @traibyers @gracegealey #Empire
A video posted by taraji p henson (@tarajiphenson) on Mar 1, 2016 at 1:25pm PST
Empire returns to Fox on March 23 at 9/8c.
