Psychology of The Eldest Child

‘Empire’ Star Trai Byers On Andre’s ‘New Path’ With Jennifer Hudson And Rhonda’s Betrayal

Andre’s anger has been building throughout the season. As the eldest and most qualified son, he thought he was a shoo-in for becoming Lucious’ successor in the company, but when it became clear his father had a different vision for Empire, he started to break down. Many “Empire” fans didn’t realize how serious Andre’s bipolar disorder was until that harrowing scene in the recording studio when Andre held a gun up to his head — and pulled the trigger.

That beautifully tragic moment was a collaboration between Byers and co-creator Danny Strong, who wrote and directed the episode. Up until that scene, Byers said Andre’s character was still under question. “Is he the guy that we love to hate or do we just hate him?” he said.

“The moment it really sunk in for me is when we shot the scene in the studio and I had the gun to my head,” Byers added. “I asked Danny [Strong] — because they don’t let you do this kind of stuff on primetime television — if Andre could pull the trigger. I needed to pull that trigger; we needed to show that Andre was way past his limits. And given what was happening with his disorder and his family and feeling left out, he needed to not be a coward about this and pull that trigger. And Danny went with it with me, and thank god Fox allowed it, because it really helped set up Andre’s breakdown.”

Byers also credits his co-star Henson for inspiring him to push his boundaries and go outside of his comfort zone. “It’s because of her and her fearlessness that we collectively feel the freedom to be fearless as well, and that certainly played a role in the elevator scene,” he said.

The elevator scene was yet another example of how powerful “Empire” can be when it hits the brakes every once in a while. The heartbreaking moment found three Lyon boys trapped in a elevator together and lead to one of the season’s most memorable moments.

“In order for me to pay homage to Andre and really do justice to him, I disassociated myself from them that day,” Byers told MTV News of filming that particular scene. “I basically didn’t talk to them until we started filming. Fortunately for me, I’m working with Jussie Smollett and Bryshere Grey, and they’re at the top of their game in this elevator scene. It’s all about the love. It just came together in a magical way.”

It also made viewers realize the depth of Andre’s sadness. “You wouldn’t believe the amount of sympathy and empathy that Andre gets now from a group of people who hated him three weeks ago,” he said. “It’s almost like the public forgot him just like his family forgot him. It’s a good lesson for people to pay attention. Things aren’t always what they seem.”