7 of the Best Guest Stars on Empire

Let’s talk guest stars on Empire, because the show definitely has plenty of them! We can all agree that Empire has a star-studded cast that makes the show outright amazing. With several bold actors and actresses at the forefront of the action and drama, Empire does a great job at keeping us entertained and impatiently waiting for the next episode. However, what show isn’t even better when you add in a few celebrity guest stars? As a show based around music, it is no surprise that Empire has had several musical guest stars appear on the show, but producers don’t discriminate. Here are 7 of the best guest stars who have appeared on Empire.

Best Guest Stars on Empire

1. Alicia Keys

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On the show, Alicia Keys appears as Skye Summers. Unsurprisingly she plays a singer on the show and rocks some amazing purple hair. The biggest drama? Jamal, who is gay, is entirely smitten with her and the relationship progresses to pretty serious things!

2. Da Brat

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Da Brat has been out of the spotlight for a few years so we were happy to see her on Empire. Though her character, Jezzy, wasn’t signed to the Empire Records label, her mic abilities were stellar and the jailhouse scenery didn’t phase her one bit.

3. Rosie O’Donnell

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Considering the type of show that Empire is, it was a huge shock to see Rosie O’Donnell make a guest appearance! On the show she portrayed Pepper O’Leary, a criminal who shared a jail cell with Cookie for several years. After getting out of jail, Cookie consults with Pepper to find her son, Hakeem, and other family members.

4. Ludacris

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Ludacris was a guest star on the show during season 2 and portrayed Officer McKnight. While Ludacris is a rapper and producer in real life, on the show he is a correctional officer with no interest in raps or rhymes. At the beginning of the season he unsurprisingly butts heads with Lucious. We enjoyed seeing a rapper with some acting skills come to the show!

5. Marisa Tomei

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Marisa Tomei first rose to fame from shows she appeared in during the early 90s, to include The Cosby Show and As the World Turns. In 2015 she appeared in 5 episodes of Empire as Mimi Whiteman. Mimi was a billionaire venture capitalist and was once the the Chairman of the Board of Empire Entertainment. After her fake marriage was exposed, Marisa was killed by Camilla.

6. Rumor Willis

 Rumor Willis, daughter of Bruce Willis and Demi Moore, recently joined the cast as a recurring guest star playing Tory Ash, a brilliant but volatile musician who will help Jamal create his masterpiece.

7. Courtney Love

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Courtney Love has been known for so many things over the years: wife of Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain, lead singer of Hole (think the riot grrl version of Nirvana), and even a fashion designer. She appeared in two episodes of Empire season 1 as Elle Davis, a performer who lost her career to addiction. A case of art imitating life? Say what you will about Love, she may have been a bit hot mess most of her early life, but she keeps on ticking!

Who have been your favorite guest stars on Empire? Are you hoping that a special celebrity is worked into the cast? Tell us about it in the comments.