It has been announced that Naomi Campbell will star in Lee Daniels up and coming TV drama Empire. 

Campbell has been cast to play Camilla,  a “temptress”. 

Terrence Howard, Taraji P. Henson, Jussie Smollett, Macy Gray, Bryshere Y. Gray, Trai Byers, Gabourey Sidibe,  Malik Yoba, and Grace Gealey also make up the starring cast of the drama that centres on a family run hip-hop empire.

Via Shadow and Act

Howard plays Lucious Lyon, a charismatic, but tough chief of a record label titled Empire Entertainment.

Meanwhile, Henson is Cookie Lyon, the ex-wife of Lucious Lyon, who’s described as a “total badass” with a prison record (she served 17 years for dealing drugs, and used the money to help finance Lucious’ growing music empire, when it was still in its early days). She’s now out of prison, and has come for what’s hers!

Campbell said:

“It’s an honour to follow in the footsteps of actresses like Halle Berry, Oprah, Gabourey  Sidibe and Mo’Nique, and work with Lee Daniels. I’m looking forward to joining Lee and this amazing cast on set.”

Lee Daniels

The show’s creator Lee Daniels added:

“Naomi is a beautiful actress. Underrated in my mind. She will be wonderful as Camilla. I am truly thrilled to have one of my close friends join us.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBzu_jKLJek

Lee calls her an “actress”…..

I love Naomi but I  have only ever seen her appear in a few sitcoms back in the 1990s, where she was given limited dialogue (Ab Fab, The Cosby Show and The Fresh Prince of Bell Air). 

This will be interesting.

Empire will air in 2015 (spring).