Jussie Smollett spoke out about the ridicule he faced in his first post-jail interview on “Sway In The Morning.” The “Empire” actor very firmly holds people accountable for the ways they reacted and treated him after his alleged February 2019 assault.

Smollett plead not guilty to allegations that he staged a homophobic and racist attack on himself in Chicago back in 2020. But last year, the star was found guilty for filing a false report and was sentenced to 150 days in jail, 30 months felony probation and a fine.

The actor maintains his innocence despite him experiencing nothing but ridicule from the media and apparently from people he thought were his friends. Those same people who Smollett said knew him, had his phone number and should have reached out.

“I do hold some people accountable for the things that they said, for the things that they did, for the ways that they reacted because half of those people should have picked up the fucking phone and called me because they had my number, you know?” Smollett said.

“And they didn’t. I hold the people that went out there and said shit…I hold them to something. And not the people that don’t know me but the people that do know me. Fuck outta here—y’all know better than that and ya’ll did that—that was some PR bullshit. And you know who you are. And I will not name names and I love everybody—but I don’t like everybody.”

The actor also shared advice that a friend offered him a few years ago. “You may look at everything now and think that this is bad. You needed to mow the lawn so you could see all the snakes in your grass,” he continued.

Smollett added that he’s “never felt healthier and more grateful and never felt more blessed than I feel now.” He’s in therapy actively working through everything he’s experienced these last three years.

Watch the interview in its entirety below.