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Building an Empire - Empire is certifiably the hottest show on network television, thanks in large part to the amazing cast. Show creator Lee Daniels stacked the credits with actors who have appeared in some of our favorite films of all time. With the exception of Grace "Boo Boo Kitty" Gealey and Bryshere "Hakeem" Gray, who are stars on the rise, here's a rundown of the rest of the cast's life in film... (Photo: Michael Lavine/FOX)

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Taraji P. Henson in Baby Boy (2001) - Now one of the most sought-after actresses on the big and small screen, 43-year-old Henson got her got her first of many breaks as Tyrese Gibson's baby mamma in John Singleton’s Baby Boy. (Photo: Courtesy Columbia Pictures/Getty Images)

Photo By Getty Images

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Taraji P. Henson in Hustle & Flow (2005) - Henson’s performance as Shug in Hustle & Flow was a breakthrough for the actress. It also marked the first time she worked with her Empire co-star Terrence Howard. Henson made her singing debut on Three 6 Mafia's “It’s Hard Out Here for a Pimp,” which won an Academy Award for Best Original Song in 2006. (Photo: MTV Films)

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Taraji P. Henson in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008) - Henson received an Oscar nomination for her performance as Queenie, Brad Pitt's aging adoptive mother in this drama, which was also nominated for five Golden Globes. (Photo: Warner Bros.)

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Taraji P. Henson in Think Like a Man (2012) - We loved Henson as corporate climber Lauren in this hilarious ensemble, about couples navigating dating and romance according to Steve Harvey's best-selling advice book. The lucky lady got to be wooed by Michael Ealy in the film — not bad for a day's work! Less than two years later, Henson became Miss Cookie Lyon. (Photo: Screen Gems)

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Terrence Howard in The Best Man (1999) - One of the most prolific actors in Hollywood, Howard made his mark as charming vagabond Q in The Best Man. Howard later reprised his standout role more than a decade later in The Best Man Holiday.  (Photo: Universal Pictures)

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Terrence Howard in Crash (2004) - Howard portrayed Cameron Thayer, a Black man who suffers injustice and humiliation by a racist veteran cop, The film won the Academy Award winner for Best Picture and solidified Terrence's status as a top-notch actor. (Photo: Lions Gate)

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Terrence Howard in Lee Daniels' The Butler (2012) - Howard first collaborated with Empire show creator Lee Daniels in The Butler, the sweeping historical epic which Daniels directed. Howard played Oprah Winfrey's illicit lover in the film. (Photo: The Weinstein Company)

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Jussie Smollett in The Mighty Ducks (1992) - Around the time that Jamal would have been just a twinkle in Luscious Lyon's eye, Empire's breakout star Jussie Smollett was an adorable child actor. Mighty Ducks fans may recognize him as outspoken team member Terry Hall in the film. (Photo: Walt Disney Pictures)

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Jussie Smollett in The Skinny (2012) - Jamal is not the first gay chartacter Jussie Smollett has played. In 2012, he starred in Patrik-Ian Polk's The Skinny, playing Magnus, a young man navigating relationships and friends during a visit to Harlem. Just two years later, Smollet would land Jamal in Empire.  (Photo: Szymon Sayz Productions)

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Trai Byers in 90210 - Byers knows a thing or two about must-see TV. Before Empire, the actor had a recurring role on the reboot of the addictive teen soap 90210, where he played an Ivy-bound hotshot and rising business man. (Photo: The CW)

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Trai Byers in Selma (2015) - In this Oscar-nominated film for Best Picture, Byers played a leader of the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee.  The Ava DuVernay film came out during perfect timing for Byers, whiile the movie was still in theaters, Empire premiered on television to epic ratings.   (Photo: Paramount Pictures)

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Monster's Ball, produced by Lee Daniels (2001) - Lee Daniels' willingness to push envelopes and break down barriers as a filmmaker dates back to Monster's Ball, the independent film that was championed by Daniels as a producer and earned Halle Berry a historic Oscar for Best Actress. The film tackles themes of race, sex and violence, three themes common in much of his work. (Photo: Lions Gate Films)

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Precious by Lee Daniels (2009) - It was the movie no one expected to be a hit.  Precious opened in 2009 to nearly universal praise and won Mo'Nique an Oscar.  It was also Daniels' big break in Hollywood, setting the foundation for the hit series Empire. (Photo: Lionsgate)