The third season of "Empire" will premiere three weeks from now, and Fox's musical drama is already releasing latest casting announcements and teasers. Phylicia Rashad, for one, is confirmed to play a recurring character in Season 3.
Rashad will portray Diane Dubois, the mother of Angelo Dubois (Taye Diggs), Entertainment Weekly reported. Angelo is an ambitious New York politician who is going to be Cookie's (Taraji P. Henson) love interest.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Diana "has her sights set on higher office for her only son and she'll stop at nothing to help him get to the top." Diana meeting Lucious (Terrence Howard), Cookie, and the rest of the Lyon family will display the blatant class divides that are present even within the black community.
"Empire" Season 3 will also feature Mariah Carey, singer Kid Cudi, singer Sierra McClain, Ezri Walker, and rappers French Montana, Birdman, and Xzibit as guest stars. Xzibit already debuted in the Season 2 finale, but will be a series regular in the upcoming season. Carey will appear for one episode as the superstar Kitty, who will collaborate with Jamal (Jussie Smollett) on a new song, according to UPI.
The second season of "Empire" introduced Lucious' mother Leah (Leslie Uggams) and half-brother Tariq (Morocco Omari), an FBI agent. Howard said the two's arrival will spell trouble for Lucious, with the actor describing Leah as a "very dangerous" person and is possibly a "threat" to Lucious' life, Variety reported.
The Season 2 finale of "Empire" also featured Lucious getting married to Anika (Grace Gealey) so the latter won't have to testify against him in the FBI's investigation. This event would further mess up Lucious and Cookie's (his ex-wife) already complicated relationship.
Malcolm Spellman, "Empire's" co-executive producer and writer, said Season 3 will showcase Lucious realizing "he needs control over his family always because his family is the business," Variety added. Howard said the new episodes would introduce "a lot of heartbreak" to Lucious.
"Empire" Season 3 will feature Hakeem (Bryshere Y. Gray) struggling to move forward and regain his dignity after Laura (Jamila Velazquez) left him at the altar during their wedding, The Cheat Sheet reported. Jamal, meanwhile, would undergo both physical and emotional recovery. Lucious and Cookie's son would also question his family's actions in the new episodes.
"Empire" Season 3 premieres on Wednesday, Sept. 21 at 9 PM ET/PT on Fox. Watch a preview below.
