JUSSIE SMOLLETT might be able to put whatever went down in Chicago behind him . . . because the cast of“Empire” wants him back. The cast wrote a letter to the Fox execs saying, quote, “Together, as a united front, we stand with Jussie and ask that our co-star, brother, and friend be brought back for our sixth season . . .

“He is kind.  He is compassionate.  He is honest, and above all he is filled with integrity . . . He is also innocent, and no longer subject to legal uncertainty with the criminal charges against him having been dropped . . .

“That is why we write today to ask you to keep Jussie on the cast so that we can all put this behind us and move forward.”

It’s signed by all the main cast members, including Terrence Howard, Taraji P. Henson, and Bryshere Gray.  There’s no word how that was received . . . but Jussie did have lunch with the showrunner yesterday.

Jussie was written out of Season Five, and his last episode aired last night.  (Spoiler!)  Jussie’s character Jamal married his boyfriend Kai, and apparently that was the first time two black gay men have been married on TV.