Netflix Documentary Revisits the Jussie Smollett Case
A new 90-minute film gives Smollett his first extended on-camera account since the alleged 2019 hate crime in Chicago
Netflix released the documentary The Truth About Jussie Smollett? on August 22, 2025, revisiting one of the most controversial cases in recent American media history.
What the documentary covers
Directed by Gagan Rehill and produced by Raw TV, the 90-minute film focuses on the alleged hate crime that actor Jussie Smollett reported in Chicago in 2019, as well as the subsequent police investigation, trial, and political fallout.
Smollett speaks on camera
The documentary marks the first time Smollett himself has given an extended, filmed account of the events since 2019. The film draws on thorough research grounded in public court documents, media footage, and surveillance and archive material.
Key voices in the film
The documentary includes interviews with several central figures in the case, among them Chicago police, journalists, legal experts, and the Osundairo brothers — the men linked to the alleged assault. By bringing together these perspectives, the film aims to shed light on the full complexity of the Jussie Smollett case and its turbulent course through the American criminal justice system.
A politically charged case
The case drew enormous attention when it first emerged in 2019 and quickly became politically loaded. The documentary seeks to examine both the twists and the controversies through a combination of new interviews and archival material.
