Lee Daniels had 'absolutely the worst experience' on 'Empire'

Lee Daniels had "absolutely the worst experience" on 'Empire'.

The 64-year-old writer created the musical drama - which ran from 2015 to 2020 - for Fox because he wanted to see what it was like "to be able to answer to suits", having previously worked independently, and he admitted he had a "horrible" time as a result.

He told The Film Stage: "I don’t like staying in the same lane just as a creative. When I got into television, I really just wanted to be able to answer to suits. I wanted to know what that experience was like.

"All of my friends, they get notes and s***. And I’m like, 'What is that like?!' You know what I mean? Because every film of mine had been independent. All my s*** is independent.

"You know, my first movie was developed with drug money. 'Monster’s Ball'. We won the first Black woman an Oscar. Every one of my films has been independently financed where I’m able to … do my thing and nobody is in my head.

“There’s so many filmmakers and writers that I respect that have to answer to people. So I only did 'Empire' just so I could see what that experience was like.”

When asked what the experience was actually like, he admitted: “Horrible! Absolutely the worst experience.”

However, Lee - who has kids Clara and Liam with former partner Billy Hopkins - candidly admitted he has no regrets because of the money he made from the show.

He added: "But guess what? F****** that money, money, money! I was able to put my kids through college and s***.

"So that in itself was worth it."

'Empire' centred around music mogul Lucious Lyon (Terrence Howard) and his wife 'Cookie' Lyon (Taraji P. Henson) and Lee admitted he had no idea of the cultural impact the show had at the time.

He said: "I really didn't. I was too busy about Cookie’s hat and the music hat I was trying to get to realise that I was shifting, literally, the culture. That I had single-handedly shifted it with my show.

"That there wouldn’t have been a 'Black Panther', that there wouldn’t have been an 'Insecure'. There wouldn’t have been a 'Black-ish'.

"All of that s*** happened because I did what I did.

"I was bold enough to say, 'I don’t give a f*** about these notes that they’re giving me. I’m going to f****** do what I want to do because I don’t need you.' "