An NBA player is furious because of the striking similarities of several of "Empire" TV Series cast to him and his girlfriend.
Iman Shumpert of the Cleveland Cavaliers has expressed his disappointment that two characters from the hit musical drama from FX is probably ripped from him and girlfriend Teyana Taylor. Both Shumpert and Taylor have musical background as the basketball star is a rapper while his partner is an R&B singer.
The "Empire" TV series cast Shumpert is talking about are Bryshere Y. Gray and Serayah who are playing Hakeem and Tiana, respectively.
"Empire" is a hip-hop musical drama and here, Gray plays the fame-obsessed son of Lucious Lyon (Terrence Howard), CEO of the Empire Enterprises. Before the Fox TV show, Gray had gigs in Philadelphia as a rapper while Serayah also works as a performer. For Shumpert, the similarities might not be coincident.
"I don't watch that stuff, man," Shumpert said adding his GF should have been asked to join the "Empire" TV series cast.
"They're using my girl's character, her style, her look and she's not getting anything for it. They didn't even change her name. They could have at least let my girl audition for the part instead of stealing her character completely."
"And come on man, they're really using a guy with a flat top like me. Come on. That's ridiculous. They never called us. We were blindsided. We found out by our family and fans when the show aired.
I don't see how they can deny it. Everybody knows."
Shumpert also bared that fans of Teyana are mad about the "Empire" TV series casting.
"Her fans are more mad about it than I am," Shumpert said. "I'm a ball player, but that's her field. That's what she does. Me personally, I don't plan on taking any action but I don't know about her."
"Empire" is one of the biggest hit this 2015, breaking its own record week per week. The show, which has already been renewed for a second run, will return this week for its first season finale.
