'Empire' Season 5 Air Date, Spoilers: Cast Welcomes New Regulars and Recurring Characters

Fox's American musical drama "Empire" has just upped its game by promoting Rhyon Nicole Brown, who portrays Maya, Poundcake's daughter, as a regular cast member of season 5. The "Lincoln Heights" alumni previously appeared as Maya on the show as a recurring character in episodes 14 and 15 of the show's fourth season.

The show revolves around the hip-hop entertainment dynasty Empire Entertainment, which was created by the show's main character Lucious Lyon, portrayed by Terrence Howard. Lyon, realizing his mortality, sets to pit his three sons against one another to see who is fit to inherit the hip-hop media empire he had created.

Brown's character, Maya, becomes more important to the story as “Empire” season 5 enters the picture. It is hinted that Maya will be integral to the development of Cookie Lyon, portrayed by Taraji P. Henson, who was her mother Poundcake's prison mate. Cookie Lyon is Lucious Lyon's wife who ended up creating a competing record label, Lyon Dynasty. As of Season 3, Lyon Dynasty was acquired by Empire Entertainment and Cookie Lyon became co-CEO and Head of A&R at Empire Entertainment.

The lead-up to “Empire” season 5 has started, with Lucious and Cookie Lyon once again together after a harrowing ordeal that nearly cost them Empire Entertainment. Most of the dynasty's enemies are dead due to the scheming of different characters, or through their own undoing.

The announcement that Rhyon Nicole Brown was to become a regular cast member of “Empire” season 5 comes after the same regularization of Nicole Ari Parker as a cast member.

The show also adds Katlynn Simone, who will play Treasure, a prison social worker; and A.Z. Kelsey, who will be playing Silicon Valley hotshot Jeff Kingsley, as recurring characters for “Empire” Season 5. "Empire" season 5 is set to premiere on Sept. 26.