LOS ANGELES, Sept. 24 (UPI) — Comedian Chris Rock guest-starred on the season two premiere of Empire on Wednesday, playing a sinister character who was secretly a cannibal.
Rock played Frank Gathers, a man whom main characters Cookie, played by Taraji P. Henson and Lucious, played by Terrence Howard worked for in their drug business days. Viewers witnessed Gathers cut up some unidentifiable meat during an interrogation scene unaware that originally, Rock was to be featured eating human flesh instead.
‘[Series creator Lee Daniels] wanted him to be a cannibal, but I guess it was too much for Fox,” makeup artist Karen Lynn Accattato explained to the Observer.”During the filming for scenes with Chris, Lee Daniels had this inspiration He wanted to take it to the next level. Because that’s what Lee does. On the makeup department, they told us, ‘We want him to be eating this guy’s flesh. Come up with some flesh.'”
She added, “We actually went to craft service, grabbed some steak and cut off the fat, and glued it on to the actor’s skin. When Lee Daniels says he wants an effect, you have to get that effect.”
Unfortunately Gathers’ dark side will most likely never be fully explored as the character met his untimely end after Lucious had him killed.
On Tuesday, actor Sean Penn filed a $10 million defamation lawsuit against the Empire creator for alleging in an interview that he abuses women.
Empire airs Wednesdays at 9 p.m. on Fox.
