After an epic Season 1 finale, the cast of Empire got together and put together a long list of famous musicians and influential people they want to guest star on Season 2.
Jussie Smollett (Jamal), Trai Byers (Andre), Grace Gealey (Anika), Kaitlin Doubleday (Rhonda), and Bryshere Y. Gray (Hakeem) weighed in on who they want to join the cast for Season 2.
Smollett wants Oprah Winfrey, Mariah Carey, Kanye West, Brandy Norwood and Janet Jackson to guest-star. He thinks that Oprah should interview his character, Jamal, probably about his Season 1 finale antics.
Byers, who plays Andre, is dying to have two-time Academy Award winner Denzel Washington on Empire. Byers and Washington both acted in Antwone Fisher together in 2002. Byers is hoping that his connection with Washington will draw him onto the show.
"Maybe he could play a doctor—a doctor trying to help Andre," Byers told The Hollywood Reporter. "He knew me well when I was younger, and he would be trying to help Andre now."
Doubleday, who plays Rhonda, really wants Justin Timberlake and another member of the Timbaland family, Missy Elliott, to have a role in Empire. This might not be too much of a stretch because Timberlake has had many acting roles. Doubleday really wants Timberlake to appear on the show because he listened to him growing up.
Other guest stars the cast want to include: Beyoncé, Jay Z, Aretha Franklin, Queen Latifah, Keke Palmer and Black Thought.
Even the first season of Empire drew in a ton of guest stars and the show's soundtrack is chock full of musical collaborations, including songs from Mary J. Blige, Country Love, Estelle, Juicy J and Jennifer Hudson.
"Jennifer Hudson wanted to be on the show before we had even aired!" Empire co-creator Danny Strong told The Hollywood Reporter, "We wrote [Michelle] for her because we heard she wanted to be on it, and we were all so excited because she's so talented and such an amazing singer. It was like, 'Sign us up!'"
Luckily for the cast, Lee Daniels confirmed that he has written roles for dream guest-star Winfrey and Oscar-winner Common, so you can expect to see them on Empire next season.
Who do you want to guest-star on Empire?
