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Marisa Tomei to Join Empire as Lesbian Billionaire
The Oscar-winner will have a recurring role as a venture capitalist involved with the Lyon family.
Empire, one of the most LGBT-inclusive shows on TV, is about to get more so, with the help of an Oscar-winning actress.
Marisa Tomei will join the season 2 cast in a recurring role as a billionaire venture capitalist who becomes involved with the show’s central family, the Lyons, Deadline reports. The character, Mimi Whiteman, “is a lover of hip hop music, social trends, high-end fashion and beautiful women,” the site reports.
Empire stars Terrence Howard as music mogul Lucious Lyon, Taraji P. Henson as his ex-wife, and out actor Jussie Smollett as their gay son Jamal. The out behind-the-scenes talent includes executive producers Lee Daniels and Ilene Chaiken; Daniels is also a creator of the series.
Tomei won an Oscar as Best Supporting Actress for 1992’s My Cousin Vinny. Her other film credits include In the Bedroom, The Wrestler, The Ides of March, and Love Is Strange. She has appeared on television less often, but she is developing a miniseries about feminist Gloria Steinem for HBO, in which she would star. She and George Clooney plan to produce.
Tomei previously played lesbian opposite Elodie Bouchez in this super sexy short 'She Said, She Said.'
Empire’s second season begins September 23 on Fox.
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