Cast Members Taraji P. Henson, Terrence Howard, Directors Lee Daniels And Danny Strong From The Television Series 'Empire'
(L-R) Cast members Bryshere Gray, Jussie Smolett, Trai Byers, Taraji P. Henson, Terrence Howard, directors Lee Daniels and Danny Strong, producers Ilene Chaiken and Francie Calfo from the television series "Empire" take part in Fox Broadcasting Company's part of the Television Critics Association (TCA) Winter 2015 presentations in Pasadena, California, January 17, 2015. Reuters/Kevork Djansezian

Fox hit series “Empire” Season 2 is set to premiere on Fox on Wednesday. The cast and crew of the Fox hit series spent three months filming in Chicago, although the drama series is set in New York.

Opening the “Empire” Season 2 premiere is a shot of the New York skyline. The Fox hit series is about Lucious Lyon (Terrence Howard) and his company, Empire Entertainment. The character played by Howard is a New York hip-hop mogul.

Born in Chicago, Howard himself has an apartment in the city where residents are currently concerned about property tax hike, ABC7 reported. His “Empire” Season 2 co-stars Grace Gealey and Ta'Rhonda Jones have also lived in Chicago, the latter being an alumna of Simeon Career Academy.

Gealey plays Lucious Lyon’s former lover, Anika Calhoun; while Jones plays Porsha, the assistant of Taraji P. Henson’s character, Cookie Lyon, who is also Lucious Lyon’s estranged wife. Also appearing in “Empire” Season 2 is West Side native Simeon Henderson.

Just weeks before the “Empire” Season 2 premiere, Henson was seen filming at an Italian restaurant named Vivo in the West Town neighbourhood. The restaurant was closed from early morning to midnight for the shoot.

“Empire” Season 2 is typically filmed at the Cinespace Chicago Film Studios on the West Side. On July 17, the cast and crew filmed in Courtroom 400 at the Cook County Criminal Court Building at 26th Street and California Avenue and they are expected to continue shooting through March or April 2016, Chicago Film Office director Rich Moskal told Chicago Tribune.

Recently, “Empire” Season 2 filmed at a West Town gym, called Reach Fieldhouse, and at JC Martini Club in the Belmont Central neighbourhood on the Northwest Side. The crew members were also spotted filming on a Hubbard Street sidewalk and on the steps of the Art Institute.

With 12 episodes that aired from January to March, the first season of “Empire” was also filmed in Chicago. Meanwhile, the sophomore season of the Fox hit series created by Danny Strong and Lee Daniels will have 18 episodes.

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