Chicago police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi told INSIDER that investigators have requested another interview with Smollett in light of new information, and have been in touch with his attorney.
"There are some developments in the investigation and we are now interested in speaking to the Empire cast member again," Guglielmi said. He added that he couldn't confirm or deny the media reports suggesting Smollett's attack was staged.
Smollett, 36, alleged that on January 29, two men assaulted him, tied a rope around his neck, poured an unknown chemical on him, and shouted racist and homophobic slurs, before running away.
But investigators now believe that Smollett may have paid two men to stage the attack, CNN and NBC News reported, citing sources familiar with the investigation.
A representative of Smollett's did not immediately respond to INSIDER's request for comment.
Chicago police had arrested two brothers as part of the investigation into the alleged assault on Wednesday, but released them without charges on Friday.
The brothers told detectives that they were paid by Smollett to stage the attack, and that they bought the rope at a hardware store, CBS News reported Saturday, citing a source close to the investigation.
As recently as Friday, the Chicago Police Department had maintained there was " no evidence to say that this is a hoax " and that Smollett "continues to be treated by police as a victim, not a suspect."
Smollett has denied accusations that the assault was a hoax. He appeared this week on "Good Morning America," saying he was hurt by those who doubted his allegations.
"It's not necessarily that you don't believe that this is the truth you don't even want to see the truth," he said.
