Empire hasn't even been renewed for a sixth season at this stage, but there's one person the cast wants back if FOX decides to keep the series around, and it may surprise you.

We're talking about the embattled actor, Jussie Smollett here, whose future with the hit drama is less than certain at this stage.

Smollett was accused of faking a hate crime in Chicago earlier this year, but the cast is standing in solidarity with him, going as far as penning a letter to Fox executives to plead to have him on the show.

Both Deadline and THR shared a copy of the letter, and it reads as follows:

Dear Charlie, Dana, Michael, Lee, Danny, Francie, Brian, Sanaa, Dennis, and Brett,

Together, as a united front, we stand with Jussie Smollett and ask that our co-star, brother and friend be brought back for our sixth season of Empire.

We understand the past months have been difficult to process—sometimes the headlines brought more confusion than clarity, yet we now have a conclusion to this ordeal.

Throughout Empire’s five seasons working with Jussie and watching how he has conducted himself throughout this traumatic event, we have come to know not just the character Jussie portrays, but also truly come to know Jussie’s personal character.

He is kind. He is compassionate. He is honest and above all he is filled with integrity. He is also innocent and no longer subject to legal uncertainty with the criminal charges against him having been dropped.

We are confident in his lawyer’s assurance that the case was dismissed because it would not have prevailed. Jussie has shown us on and off the set who he really is as a leader.

In addition to being a caring friend and cast member who treats every crew member with love and respect, he has spent time with our families and individually supported each of us.

These recent and detailed letters from The Black AIDS Institute, the Rainbow Push Coalition and the City Lights Orchestra shine a light on his commitment to true community service.

Just a few months ago, Jussie partnered with the Trevor Project to provide support to their volunteer program that allows LGBTQ youth in crisis access to vital counseling services. Prior to that, he gave every cent from his sold out world tour to numerous charities.

He has adopted a school in Chicago, taught songwriting to incarcerated youth at the Cook County Jail last year and bought the family of Kayden Kinckle, a six-year-old, double amputee, a wheelchair accessible van due to his school district not having a wheelchair accessible school bus.

He has traveled to South Africa for service as well as to Jamaica to quietly meet about the safety of LGBTQ youth. This was all done without posturing, the need for attention or even discussion.

This is the Jussie we know. It’s clearer every day that the extreme political climate in our country has only made our system of justice and the court of public opinion more unjust. It is why now, more than ever, we must stand together as a family.

A family is there for us in good times and bad. It can cut through the noise and confusion to understand that there is a person in the center of all this who deserves nothing more than to move forward with his life.

We understand that this show is a business. And that business matters to us as well. We are confident our fans will welcome our “Jamal” back into the Empire family as enthusiastically as we will.

That is why we write today to ask you to keep Jussie on the cast so that we can all put this behind us and move forward.

Thank you for taking time to hear us. It’s our hope that together we will move into our sixth season as the entire Empire family should.

SINCERELY,

Terrence Howard

Taraji P Henson

Bryshere Y. Gray

Trai Byers

Gabourey Sidibe

Nicole Ari Parker

It's not surprising for Smollett's cast members to want to stand with him during this difficult time. The future of the entire series was thrown into turmoil when the direction of the investigation changed, putting Jussie in the crosshairs of Chicago P.D. for what happened.

For their part, Fox has supported Smollett throughout the process, but he was ousted from the final two episodes of Empire Season 5, leading many to believe he was done with the show.

Empire has logged a string of series lows in the aftermath of the scandal.

Smollett's final episode of Empire Season 5 airs tonight, but there's really no telling whether it will be his final episode or if Fox will give in and allow him to return.

What are your thoughts on the matter?

Should Jussie return?

Hit the comments.

Remember you can watch Empire online right here via TV Fanatic.

Empire airs Wednesdays at 8/7c on Fox.