Jussie Smollett has a lot of balls in the air ... at the same time he's appealing his conviction in his hoax hate crime case, he's also directing a new movie with a big star, who just so happens to be one of his biggest supporters.
Jussie was in his element Thursday in Orange County on the movie set for "The Lost Holiday," an upcoming film starring Vivica A. Fox.
As you see, Jussie and Vivica worked closely together on set ... adding another layer to their long-standing working relationship.
Remember ... Jussie and Vivica both starred on "Empire" back in 2019 when Jussie was allegedly attacked in Chicago ... a claim that police said turned out to be a hoax and ultimately led to the conviction he's now appealing.
If the appeal fails, Jussie will have to spend 5 months behind bars. The appeal has been continued 5 times, and the court said no more ... the hearing is set for December.
Vivica has staunchly stood by Jussie's side throughout the entire saga ... telling us in 2021 she wanted to work with him again ... and now she's getting her wish.
Jussie had a huge smile on his face on set, though it's unclear if he's getting in front of the camera for this project or just directing.
As for his case, Jussie is appealing and his legal team is arguing the conviction should be overturned because his due process rights were violated.
Jussie spent a week behind bars in March 2022, but he was released from jail pending the appeal.