(Credit: Netflix)

True-crime documentaries on Netflix will never go out of style. And currently, The Truth About Jussie Smollett? is on a visible rise on both the global and US charts.

Although ranked tenth on the global weekly most popular movies chart, the Netflix docu-film enjoys a far safer seat Stateside, positioned fifth right below Unknown Number: High School Catfish. But what exactly explains the intrigue surrounding The Truth About Jussie Smollett? Perhaps the complexities and never-before-seen footage.

For the uninitiated, Lee Daniels and Danny Strong teamed up for a Fox series, Empire, a decade ago. The series turned out to be an instant hit, resulting in Taraji P Henson, Terrence Howard, and Jussie Smollett’s starry-eyed recognition. But four years later, in 2019, there was a turn of the tide when Smollett claimed he was allegedly attacked late at night in Chicago.

The Truth About Jussie Smollett? is directed by Gagan Rehill, who returns to the incident through unseen footage from the night, fresh interviews with Smollett and the men who confessed to the authorities that they were hired to assault him, brothers Abimbola and Olabinjo Osundairo. This is the first time the Empire actor has shed light on the matter since his last interview with ABC in 2019.

The Netflix documentary revolves around the elongated years of legal battle involving Smollett. It revisits the night of the attack in 2019, which allegedly happened around downtown Chicago. The men were masked. But what got Rehill to bring the story to viewers is the complications surrounding the claims. “I hope to let the viewer sit, watch, and grapple with whichever truth they interpret from what they see. And, most importantly, to consider the nature of truth itself in our ever-increasingly polarised society,” he told Tudum.

So, what were the controversies? What triggered the case to be dragged on so long? It’s obvious that the viewers are curious, and that alone explains the storm of The Truth About Jussie Smollett? on Netflix.

As it turns out, Smollett alleged that the attack took place around 02:00 in the Midwestern city’s Streeterville neighbourhood after he bought a sandwich from a Subway, when he was caught off guard by two white men. Not only did he allege assault, but he also claimed that he was a victim of homophobic and racial foul-mouthing, and they also put some liquid on him while putting a “noose” around his neck. He also informed receiving a threatening letter a week before.

What changed the course of the investigation was the CCTV footage and ride-share records, which clarified that the alleged culprits were actually Nigerian-American brothers Ola and Abel Osundairo. They played extras in Empire. Quite head-turning, right? There were also allegations from their end that it was a staged attack. However, viewers are clearly ready to dive deep into what really went down that night as The Truth About Jussie Smollett? streams on Netflix.